PN Leader Alex Borg of Thursday made a sworn declaration firmly denying ever meeting a fuel smuggler or anyone involved in criminal activity in relation to the party's proposed offshore fuel hub at Hurd's Bank.

The affidavit was presented on Thursday morning during a press conference where the PN unveiled its tax reform proposals. It comes after Prime Minister Robert Abela alleged that the fuel hub proposal had been passed to the PN by an unnamed fuel smuggler, and that he himself had met the same individual but had ultimately rejected the idea.

In his sworn declaration, signed before a notary and distributed to journalists, Borg rejected the claims outright, saying they were aimed at damaging his reputation and that of the country.

"I categorically deny the frivolous, unfounded allegations made by the prime minister in my regard, intended only to damage my reputation and the country's," the affidavit reads. "I will not allow anyone to damage my reputation."

Borg also challenged the Prime Minister to take any information he has to the police, insisting it was unacceptable that Abela admitted meeting the alleged smuggler without reporting it.

"It is shameful that Robert Abela met a criminal and did not report it to the police," Borg said, while maintaining that he had no contact with any such individual in relation to the fuel hub proposal.