Joseph Muscat, the former prime minister of Malta, is now confronting criminal charges related to a contentious deal involving the privatization of three state-owned hospitals.
Muscat, a former Member of the European Parliament who served as prime minister from 2013 to 2020, along with his former chief of staff Keith Schembri and former Cabinet minister Konrad Mizzi, are among 19 individuals charged following a lengthy investigation into alleged corruption surrounding the sale of the hospitals to the Vitals Global Healthcare group in 2016.
Reports from local media indicate that the trio has not been detained, and the specific details of the charges have yet to be disclosed.
There’s speculation that Chris Fearne, Malta’s Minister for EU Funds and a potential candidate for the country’s next European Commissioner, might also face charges related to the hospitals deal, although as of now, no such action has been taken.
Fearne asserted on Facebook that he has always adhered to the law and ministerial ethics.
In late 2021, it was reported by the Times of Malta that Muscat had received €60,000 from Accutor AG, a Swiss company connected to the U.S.-based Steward Health Care group, which assumed control of the hospitals contract from Vitals Global Healthcare in 2018. Muscat consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Muscat took to Facebook recently, stating, “This is no longer merely a political vendetta but has escalated into a disgrace and atrocity, where numerous lives are being ensnared in bureaucratic limbo for years for the sake of expediency.”
He further commented, “Those involved in this injustice, or those who turned a blind eye to it, will face severe judgment from the public immediately, from the legal system over time, and from history indefinitely. I am prepared to confront those seeking retribution against the Maltese.”
Muscat resigned in January 2020 amidst mounting pressure following the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in October 2017 in a car bomb attack outside her residence.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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