Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this morning avoided questions from waiting journalists as he rushed through an emergency door at the Aula Magna building in Valletta after a public service event.

He let hundreds of guests walk out before him through the door of the hall while he used an emergency exit.

As the media had already lined up outside the hall awaiting the Prime Minister's to show up to field questions, a government spokeswoman came out asking whether journalists were waiting for the Prime Minister.

She then informed them that the Prime Minister left using the side door.

This was the second time in as many days that the Prime Minster avoided taking any questions from journalists.

Yesterday, following a meeting at Auberge de Castille with Qatari Sheik Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister left as soon as a press conference ended.

Ramona Attard, from the Prime Minister's office invited journalists to send questions by e-mail.

Just an hour before the Prime Minister's unannounced departure this morning, Minister Konrad Mizzi said in court that questions over his Panama affairs, particularly the audit on his secret companies, should be addressed to Dr Muscat.

PM HAD ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT

In a reaction, the Office of the Prime Minister said Dr Muscat had not used an emergency exit. There were two doors in the hall, and Dr Muscat used one of them, it said.

It explained that Dr Muscat had to leave soon after the speech since he had another engagement right after the event.