Prime Minister Robert Abela on Monday continued to skirt questions related to his involvement in a property deal with a man facing abduction charges, insisting that the stories published by Times of Malta were “spin”.

“All we are seeing is more spin. There’s nothing new. I will continue to focus on the future,” Abela said when asked to explain the timeline in the property deal.

“There is nothing strange as you’re saying. The tax was all paid. This is all spin,” was his curt reply as he dodged questions on his involvement. Questions sent by Times of Malta on Sunday were also not replied. 

However, he said that it was his only property deal with alleged kidnapper Christian Borg.

Times of Malta reported on Monday how Abela netted €45,000 from a deal with Borg, who is at the centre of a police investigation into organised crime.

Contracts and notarial deeds show who Abela and his wife, Lydia, entered into a deal to buy land in Żabbar in June 2018.

On the same day of the purchase, Borg received Planning Authority permission to build nine apartments and garages on the land, despite having no apparent connection to it.

Months later, Abela transferred his stake in the land to Borg.

On Monday, Abela was asked to explain whether it was a coincidence that he entered the deal to buy the land on the same day that a permit was issued to Borg. 

He also avoided questions on whether he received any further payments from the construction of the property.