It is only the Labour Government's fault that the Ta' Qali Animal Hospital is closed, the Nationalist Party said in response to an article published by The Malta Independent on Sunday last week.

In an interview, the Parliamentary Secretary for Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said blamed lack of agreement with the Opposition as the reason behind the delay in the re-opening of the hospital. Bugeja Said had stated that the APH Veterinary Hospital in Ta' Qali, which has been closed for over a year since August 2023, would have likely opened by now had the government's proposed amendments to the hospital's emphyteusis gone through.

In its reply, the Opposition referred to a meeting of the National Audit Office Accounts Parliamentary Committee, which took place on 10 January 2023, the transcript of which was provided in the answer given to this newspaper.

It said that during this meeting, Nationalist MPs Janice Chetcuti, Graham Bencini, Darren Carabott, and Rebekah Borg represented the Opposition on the committee in relation to a resolution on a partial modification in the temporary emphyteusis contract related to the veterinary hospital, which was dated 12 February 2016 and signed before Notary Diana Galea.

The PN referred to the transcript of that committee meeting, saying that it "clearly reveals the whole truth". It continued that the truth is that the government had proposed a draft contract in which the services of the animal hospital would be reduced. The Opposition added that on the other hand, it brought forward its amendments.

The PN said that on the same day of the committee meeting where this matter was discussed, it had issued a statement in which it noted that the government was proposing a contract that would change the conditions of the original deal which was signed in 2016, by which the contractor would be released from a number of obligations.

Listing obligations which the contractor was to be released from, the PN said that the government's proposal would have meant that the 25% price discount for neutering operations carried out by NGOs or voluntary organisations at the animal hospital would be removed. It added that the government wanted costs related to the provision of medicine, any consumption, or triage given to animals of the Animal Welfare Directorate to no longer be free.

The Opposition continued that another part of the amendments wanted by the government would have been the removal of the obligation for the premises to function exclusively as a veterinary hospital, along with the removal of the obligation for the hospital to be equipped with the latest technology and to have veterinary specialists engaged with the hospital. It continued that the government proposal also would have removed the obligation for the hospital to follow and adhere to European and international standards in relation to regulations and procedures in the animal hospital, and for it to have specialised vets employed.

Another obligation that would have been removed through the government's amendments was that the cost of treating animals recovered by the Animal Welfare Directorate, which needed treatment in the hospital and were in need of medicine, would have been at market price instead of the cost price.

The PN said that it was so right about these points, that the government, through Minister Anton Refalo, said during the meeting that it would present another amended draft contract. The PN remarked that if the government believed the contract was good, then it had the majority on the committee to go ahead and vote in its favour, "but this did not happen, so much so that the government withdrew and asked to submit amendments". No amended contract on this matter has been brought forward since then, and so the hospital remains closed despite continuous requests by the Opposition, the PN stated.

The PN concluded by stating that it can never put a stop to a project that it established itself. "It was a Nationalist Government that, more than 12 years ago, opened a hospital for animals. Unfortunately, the Labour Government closed it, and it has now been closed for more than 16 months."

The statement was signed by Chetcuti, Bencini, Carabott, and Borg.