Affordable Housing Minister Roderick Galdes has said that he has "nothing to hide," when asked about calls for investigations into an apartment he had purchased.
The minister has come under scrutiny recently after news emerged that he had bought a penthouse and garage in Gozo for the sum of €140,000 from Excel Investments, a company partly owned by developer Joseph Portelli. The news sparked allegations that there was preferential pricing for the minister, accusations that the company rejected.
It was reported that the minister previously said that he had reserved the property (shell form) in 2021 at the same price everyone else at the time was offered. It was reported that he signed the promise of sale in 2024 and bought the property in 2025.
Galdes, questioned by journalists on Wednesday, said that ever since he joined Parliament all his assets were declared every year, and said that he will continue to declare them. "I assure you that all I did was with respect of the law, I paid the money through the bank."
"This is not a luxurious apartment as you said that is complete," he told the press. "This is, till today, in shell form. All it has is between 82sqm and 84sqm," he said, and a garage.
"Those were the prices in 2021," he said about the amount he paid, adding that he had bought it on plan at the time. "I took the risk that the development could have had problems."
"I bought an apartment on plan with those prices."
"The developer has even said that the sale occurred normally."
In response to a question, he also said that he always pays his taxes, but did not specify whether he paid it on the value of the property in 2021 or 2024. "I paid the declared value and I am ready for any scrutiny by the authorities. I paid the taxes, unlike others who didn't pay."
Asked about calls for investigations that have been made, he said: "I have nothing to hide, all my assets are declared. All that was done was according to legal norms, and was signed in front of a notary." He said it is under his name and his wife's name.
It was also reported in the press that the group of companies from which Galdes bought the apartment had leased 104 properties to the Housing Authority in 2024.
Queried whether it is not right for a minister to buy a service or product from a company given government contracts, he said: "I assure you that the government contracts given refer to a scheme that is open to everyone," he said, in reference to the scheme whereby the group of companies leased properties to the housing authority. "This is a scheme in which there are 1,500 properties rented from common citizens. If a particular contractor leased to the authority with lower prices with the aim of helping social housing..." He said that the scheme launched in 2017 and is still open. "We are urging contractors and whoever wants to enter the scheme to give an apartment to those in need, by renting an apartment to the authority. This scheme is certainly needed so that we would have an amount of keys for those who are vulnerable."
When asked whether former Malita chairman Marlene Mizzi was lying when she accused Minister Galdes of removing her from her chairmanship after calling out ministerial interference in the company's affairs, Minister Galdes rebuked this and referred to the Malita Investments Board of Directors' public declaration that these claims are not true. He added that this Board features some directors who were appointed by the government, given the government's major shareholding over the company, as well as some who were appointed privately.
The Housing Minister was also queried on whether he is ready to publish Johan Farrugia's letter of resignation from his position as Malita Investments' executive chairman in on 25 November 2025.
"It is not true at all that Johan Farrugia has made any accusations against me," the Minister said.