Economic Affairs Minister Chris Cardona. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Economic Affairs Minister Chris Cardona last night published a contract for a one-bedroom flat he is renting in Portomaso, as he vehemently denied a claim that the apartment was provided by a businessman involved in the consortium awarded the power station contract by the government.

The contract, dated December 1, 2014, is for a 100 square metre tenement and underlying car space for a period of 10 months at the rate of €1,400 per month.

He described this as an average rate for this sort of property.

He said the person renting it out to him had nothing to do with the consortium.

Opposition MP Beppe Fenech Adami had earlier requested an explanation from the Prime Minister in Parliament over the claim made in an article on Daphne Caruana Galizia’s blog.

He said he was asking for a statement by Joseph Muscat about whether he had investigated this claim and whether what was taking place amounted to good governance, more so after the protests raised in the last legislature when a minister at the time went abroad to watch a football match with a businessman.

Dr Fenech Adami observed that rent of a Portomaso apartment amounted between €2,000 and €3,500 a month.

The Nationalist MP also said that according to the Caruana Galizia article, Dr Cardona and his permanent secretary were, during office hours, frequenting a bar called The Stable which, according to the article, was frequented by people of dubious character, even criminals, and there was allegedly drug abuse.

Had the Prime Minister verified the report. Would he confirm or deny it?

Replying, Dr Muscat said he wanted to make one point: Ms Caruana Galizia had been at this place accompanied by a Nationalist MEP.

Dr Fenech Adami said Ms Caruana Galizia had gone there precisely to look for Dr Cardona, and MEP David Casa had accompanied her.

He said the Prime Minister should explain, so that the people could judge Dr Cardona and how he respected his office.

In a statement issued through the OPM last night, Dr Cardona denied the “defamatory” claims, although he made no direct mention of the bar allegation.

He said Dr Fenech Adami had hidden behind parliamentary immunity to make the allegations.

It was now clearer than ever that Ms Caruana Galizia was directly associated with the PN. She was known for the way she made serious but unproven allegations, he said.

This ran contrary to the recommendations made in the report on the PN’s electoral defeat.

He called on the Opposition to withdraw the claims and disassociate itself from the blogger.

During the exchanges in Parliament, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil protested when Dr Cardona was heard, off microphone, saying “tiġi tiegħek” (“your turn will come”). He said the Opposition would not tolerate threats.

Dr Cardona said he had repeated verbatim what Dr Busuttil said to him during the Budget debate two years ago.