Alex Borg calls on Roderick Galdes to resign
PM must sack affordable housing minister if he does not step down, Borg said
Updated 6.15pm with PL reaction
Opposition leader Alex Borg has called for the resignation or dismissal of Housing Minister Roderick Galdes, following recent revelations about Galdes' property dealings and alleged interference in Malita Investments plc.
“We are calling for the resignation of Roderick Galdes,” Borg told journalists at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon. If he does not step down, Prime Minister Robert Abela “must take the necessary steps until he clears his name,” he added.
Borg said Galdes was facing “serious accusations, not from PN, but from Marlene Mizzi,” a former Malita Investments chair and PL MEP, over his alleged interference into the company’s work.
Last week, Mizzi accused Galdes of meddling with Malita and “hobnobbing” with contractors engaged by the company.
Days later, her successor, Johan Farrugia, stepped down from the company.
“We don’t yet know why. What led to this?” Borg asked of Farrugia’s resignation.
Borg said Galdes also has to face the music over his purchase of a duplex penthouse in Gozo earlier this year, under the typical market price.
He pointed to how Galdes had signed a promise of sale for the property in 2024, around the time that the same developers were leasing over 100 apartments to the Housing Authority to be used as social housing.
“This is a conflict of interest,” Borg said. “A housing minister buying a property well below its market value today, then signing a contract for over 100 apartments”.
“No matter how much Robert Abela defends Galdes, people will not believe him,” Borg argued.
“Everyone knows the price of property today and they know they won’t find a duplex penthouse with a garage, jacuzzi and airspace for €140,000,” he said.
In a brief statement on Wednesday evening, the PL said it remained "clear and evident that everything remains the same in the Nationalist Party".
The party said Borg followed the "negative playbook of those who came before him: SimonBusuttil, Adrian Delia and Bernard Grech".
"The face has changed, but not the attitude," Labour added.