No questions about the three hospitals magisterial inquiry which led to the arraignment of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and others were asked during the final debate between Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Bernard Grech on Wednesday.

The debate, moderated by PBS shift editor Liam Carter, consisted of several themes ranging from issues Malta faces, foreign affairs, and criticism on the two leaders, among others, but the hospitals deal saga was not one of the topics that was in the list of items drawn up by the parties and approved by the Broadcasting Authority.

However, while Grech was specifically asked about the criticism levelled at the Nationalist Party for not publishing its accounts on donations it had received over the past years, the questions for Abela were much more unchallenging, and the hospitals' deal was not featured.

Abela never brought up the subject himself, and did not respond to what Grech said about the deal during the debate.

During one of his interventions, Grech directly accused Abela of having known that the Vitals deal was fraudulent, waving around a photo of a letter sent to the Prime Minister and the State Advocate in 2021, alerting them of the fraud.

Instead, Abela continued to hand over a further €280 million to Steward, while the three hospitals were left neglected, Grech said.

Abela did not address the hospitals issue at all during the one-hour debate.

Abela was, instead, asked a vague question about criticism that government is yet to have learnt from its past. This prompted the Prime Minister to list the several reforms government has implemented in these past years.

Abela was also prompted to speak about the recent planning application for a major development in a San Gwann ODZ, which was withdrawn soon after Abela had expressed his opinion against the development.

The debate was split into six questions where the two Leaders went on to first address a particular point the other had said, then go on to answer the question. The two continued to accuse the other of spreading “misinformation.”

The Opposition Leader, at the start of the debate, said that it was the first time he had the opportunity to speak on national TV without being controlled.

The Nationalist Party has often accused PBS/TVM of being biased in favour of the government and against the PN.