Prime Minister Robert Abela on Wednesday refused to commit to Planning Authority chairman Johann Buttigieg's dismissal over WhatsApp conversations with Yorgen Fenech, insisting the messages had been public for years and did not constitute a new revelation.
Speaking to journalists after a press conference marking the government's first 100 days in office, Abela rejected the premise of the question, arguing that media reports describing the chats as "revealed" were misleading.
He said the conversations between Buttigieg and Fenech, who last week was acquitted in a trial by jury related to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, had been in the public domain for more than six years and had already been extensively reported by multiple media organisations.
"I was surprised when I read the word 'revealed' in your reporting," Abela said. "These are the same chats that you and other media houses reported more than six years ago. They have been available in the public domain for everyone to analyse."
The Prime Minister challenged journalists to verify his claim, adding that a fact-check of the use of the word "revealed" would conclude it was "misleading".
Abela did not directly answer whether he intended to dismiss Buttigieg, despite NGOs calling for his removal following renewed scrutiny of the exchanges.
First 100 days in office
Asked to respond to criticism that his administration's first 100 days had been overshadowed by a damning court judgment, widespread power cuts and the failure of proposed equality legislation, Abela instead highlighted what he described as the government's accelerated implementation of its electoral manifesto.
He pointed to several social measures, including a doubling of the grant available to first-time buyers with severe disabilities seeking to purchase a home, from €10,000 to €20,000.
On the electricity network, Abela acknowledged the challenges faced over recent months and said the government would continue investing in infrastructure to improve resilience.
He said procurement for a battery storage project was currently underway, with implementation expected to begin once the process is completed. He also confirmed that work on the second electricity interconnector would begin later this year.
The Prime Minister said further investment would be directed towards renewable energy, strengthening distribution centres and substations, increasing Gozo's capacity to generate electricity as a backup, and improving electricity links between Malta and Gozo, including the installation of a 132kV cable.
Abela said these investments were intended to address both Malta's specific energy challenges and those shared with other countries.
Referring to the recent Yorgen Fenech trial outcome, the Prime Minister noted that the proceedings were now in the appeal stage and declined to comment further.