For the past two years, the Nationalist Party said it has been questioning the fate of the famous stone marker that found itself next to the pool at the home of Minister Anton Refalo.

Recently, we learned that, in some mysterious way, this stone has miraculously made its way back to the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the PN said in a statement Friday.

This information came to light thanks to a Parliamentary Question by Opposition Deputy Ryan Callus. Without this PQ, we would still be in the dark regarding the mystery of the historical British-era stone that ended up on the private property of Minister Anton Refalo.

While announcing this, Minister Owen Bonnici, responsible for National Heritage, provided no explanation for how this "miracle" occurred. Nor, obviously, was there any apology from Minister Refalo, much less any criminal action taken, the PN said.

Between 2018 and 2020, this same Minister served as Chairperson of Heritage Malta, and therefore, without a doubt, he is well aware of what the Cultural Heritage Act states.

The actions of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage only raise more doubts than they resolve, particularly for those concerned about the poor protection this Government provides for our country's historical heritage, the PN said.

The PN once again questioned why this stone marker was not collected immediately in February 2022 by Minister Owen Bonnici, or why Minister Refalo was not obligated to return it straightaway by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage. It would also be good to know what action, if any, the police took in this case.

It's also intriguing to understand why it took a full year for the public to be informed that this nineteenth-century artefact had been returned. Both the Chairman of Heritage Malta and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage confirmed this last July, stating that the historic stone was returned by Minister Refalo in 2023. So why did it take a year for the public to find out?

According to the Cultural Heritage Act, anyone found guilty of offences involving valuable cultural or historical items could face a fine ranging from €2,000 to €250,000 (a quarter of a million euros) or a prison sentence of up to six years, or both.

It is incredible how a Cabinet Minister was found to possess a prestigious item forming part of our national heritage in his private garden, as if it was no big deal. Moreover, the Minister responsible for culture, who should have taken action, is covering for him, the PN said.

This is yet another symptom of the culture of impunity introduced in our country by the Labour Government. It's also indicative of the way a Labour Government treats our country's national treasures.

The statement was signed by Julie Zahra, Shadow Minister for National Heritage, Arts, and Culture.