Updated 11.11am with Repubblika letter to the police commissioner below.

Close associates of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat have called a 'solidarity meeting' outside the law courts today week as Muscat is arraigned over the Vitals hospitals deal.

He is due to be formally accused of money laundering, bribery, trading in influence and a long list of other charges, including setting up a criminal association.

The charges were filed earlier this month and Muscat reacted by saying they'd be funny if they weren't so serious.

"I am going to relish destroying each and every one of these charges and proving how they are built on fantasy and lies," he had said.

Muscat is being arraigned by summons, not under arrest. 

The 'solidarity meeting' was announced by broadcaster Emanuel Cuschieri who said the people needed to calmly and in a civilised manner show solidarity on Tuesday morning with the man who had truly cared for them. 

 

The message was relayed by Muscat's lawyer and friend Charlon Gouder and another close Muscat friend, former Labour general secretary Jason Micallef, who said he would be there.

It is not clear, however, whether the Labour Party is itself backing the event.

Prime Minister Robert Abela had criticised magistrate Gabriella Vella over the timing of her inquiry report into the Vitals hospitals deal - weeks before the European and local elections. It was that report which ultimately led to the arraignment, although the decision to arraign and the actual arraignment date were set by the Attorney General and another magistrate.

Former Chief of Staff Keith Schembri and former minister Konrad Mizzi are also due to be arraigned on Tuesday to face similar charges.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and former Finance Minister Edward Scicluna, now governor of the Central Bank, as well as a number of retired and serving civil servants, are due to be arraigned on the following day to face lesser but still serious charges including fraud.

In August 2022 Cuschieri had also invited supporters to meet outside the law courts during the arraignment of former Infrastructure Malta CEO Fredrick Azzopardi, who faced criminal charges over illegal road works carried out on his watch.

The Labour Party had dissociated itself from that event, which turned out to be a flop. 

Repubblika: Do not fall for provocation

Robert Aquilina, the honorary president of Repubblika, who had instigated the magisterial inquiry into the Vitals case, on Tuesday wrote to the police commissioner to inform him the NGO was not planning any public events on the days of the arraignments.

He said in a Facebook statement that Muscat was continuing to raise tensions in a bid to avoid the consequences of his deception while prime minister.

It was evident that Muscat's irresponsible actions posed a challenge to the police to maintain law and order in such a delicate time, he said.

Repubblika, he said, had always worked to ensure good order, even during its public protests and would therefore hold no events on May 28 and 29. 

He appealed to the public to let justice take its course and not to fall for any provocation.