Robert Abela, Chris Fearne, Clyde Caruana and the other government MPs were accomplices in the 'fraudulent' Vitals hospitals deal because they continued to defend it and vote money for it year after year, Bernard Grech said on Sunday.

Addressing a political event themed 'A victory for Malta' (Rebħa għal Malta) at PN headquarters in Pietà, the Opposition Leader said Prime Minister Robert Abela and his government could not continue to dodge responsibility because not only was Abela a consultant for the government for several years during the contract, but his government repeatedly defended the contract and continued to allocate funds for it every year.

"Robert Abela wants us to believe he has nothing to do with the corrupt deal, but we can never believe that," Grech said in an emotional speech.

"The people who continued to defend the deal are criminal and corrupt just like the rest. They're accomplices."

The event was also addressed by former leader Adrian Delia and party health spokesperson Stephen Spiteri.

All three arrived at the packed hall of party headquarters to cheers from an enthusiastic crowd.

A court on Friday ruled that three hospitals that had been handed to Vitals and subsequently to Steward Healthcare should be returned to the state because the deal was fraudulent.   

Mr Justice Francesco Depasquale delivered the judgment after 44 hearings in the case filed by former opposition leader Adrian Delia.

'Need for party unity'

In his speech on Sunday, Grech was especially adamant about the need for the party to unite and grow stronger in the fight for justice, arguing that it was only when people worked together that the PN could move ahead.

"Don't let anyone divide us because that is what they want. They want us divided so they can reign and rob the country," Grech said.

"Joseph Muscat, Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri, Robert Abela, Chris Fearne and Chris Cardona had planned a roadmap of millions of euros, but Adrian Delia cornered them. Their open road became an alley, but they can still sneak out if we're not united and vigilant. Let's put aside our differences. That is the only way forward and the only way to show them that the end of their diabolic plan is truly in sight," he said.

Delia echoed Grech's sentiment.

"Rise, stand up, be strong, take this hope, embrace it, keep it with you, because if one person alone, after five years, could win this fight, just imagine what we can do if we fight together, as one united party, for our country," he told supporters.

"We stand for truth over lies, justice over injustice, the fight for good over the forces of evil, the fight for the people over the corrupt elite, the fight of those who obey the law over those who break it, of those who pay taxes over those who steal them. It is the fight for the common good over personal interest, for a country with a soul over those who want a soulless country. Finally, the fight for hope, because if we keep fighting and persevere, we can emerge victorious."

'About time the government seeks national interest'

Grech also said that 48 hours after the court ruling on Friday, the government still had not come up with a clear plan as to when and how it would return the three hospitals to the people.

"The only thing Abela would say is that he's seeking the national interest. About time that they seek the national interest," Grech remarked.

"Since the court ruling, people in government have only sought to defend themselves, and that shows how little they care about the national interest. We cannot trust them."

Grech ended his speech urging people to gather in front of the parliament building on Monday at 6pm for a national protest.

"They used to say we were pessimists and negative so that we would shut up and let them do whatever they wanted to do. But together with you, nobody would shut us up," Grech said.

"If we're united, we cannot be defeated."

'PN is stronger than ever'

Taking the podium amid cheering from supporters, Delia said the PN was not finished. On the contrary, it was getting stronger than ever.

He said that despite a five-year saga of lies, deceit and obstacles from those who wanted to hide the truth and stifle justice, perseverance won and the common good emerged victorious.

"Had the case been lost, I would have been the loser. But because the case was won, Malta has won," he said.

He also saluted late deputy leader Robert Arrigo who, he said, would have surely been celebrating with his colleagues today, and thanked him for his continued support and loyalty to him and to the PN.

He also refused to accept that Robert Abela bore no responsibility for "the most expensive deal" in the country's history.

"He was a legal consultant to Castille and the Cabinet. He cannot say he wasn't there, because he was elected in 2017, and when he was appointed prime minister, he spent three years defending the deal on behalf of corrupt and fraudulent foreigners," Delia said.

"He was there when the Auditor General's reports highlighting questionable elements in the deal were handed to government and he was also there when it was revealed that there were €80,000 in unpaid taxes.

"And he was there in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, when year after year, his government voted more and more money from people's taxes to Steward Healthcare."

'Health will remain a priority for the PN'

PN health spokesperson Stephen Spiteri reiterated that the party will continue to regard health as a priority and will push to see that the millions of euros that were being forked out for the corrupt deal would now be used for more medicines, cancer treatments and a new mental heath hospital.

"We must ensure that the people's money is returned to the people in the form of good medical services and that the hospitals help Mater Dei in keeping up with the increasing demand for healthcare," Spiteri said.