Robert Abela on Monday pointed towards an ongoing probe when asked about the culpability of ex-prime minister Joseph Muscat and ex-minister Konrad Mizzi in the Vitals hospital contract. 

Speaking to journalists after parliament, Abela said it was public knowledge that the police had conducted several searches in connection with the investigation. 

Both Muscat and Mizzi have been subjected to police searches over the past year, as part of a magisterial inquiry into the Vitals deal. 

That inquiry, launched in November 2019, is being led by Magistrate Gabriella Vella. It started following a request by rule of law NGO Repubblika but has since turned into a sprawling probe covering every aspect of the  Vitals and Steward contracts.

Muscat said he has "nothing to be afraid of" in the wake of Friday's court decision, which struck down the deals on fraud grounds. 

No comment on government's appeal intentions

Abela refused to confirm that the government will not be appealing the court decision, but said that he had informed PN MP Adrian Delia, who filed the 2018 court case, about the government's intention.  

He confirmed that the government had asked the court to shorten the appeal window, but declined to speak further about the government's legal strategy. 

Abela said that the lessons from the court sentence, as well as previous Auditor General reports on the deal, had been learnt. 

The prime minister said his job was now to deal with the issues he had inherited, distancing himself from any responsibility for the deal. 

Abela said it was a "lie" to say he was already a cabinet consultant at the time the deal was made. Muscat appointed him as his cabinet advisor in 2017, several years after the original deal was signed. 

Abela was greeted by massive jeers upon exiting parliament, as thousands rallied to a PN protest against the deal.