Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli insisted on Tuesday she would wait for the advice of her legal team before taking a decision on the €80,000 contract of her predecessor Konrad Mizzi. 

Fielding questions from journalists at the end of an event in Luqa, Ms Farrugia Portelli insisted she had only learnt about the contract, which Dr Mizzi was given with the MTA just weeks after resigning, on Monday evening. 

Ms Farrugia Portelli said she had immediately sought legal advice about it. She declined to say whether she wanted the contract terminated, saying she would wait for legal advice before commenting. 

The minister said she could not know about all the contracts that fell within her remit. Pressed further about this, the minister said she had now initiated a mechanism to review all such contracts. 

When it was pointed out to her that other ministers had, just last week, terminated contracts they deemed to be unacceptable, Ms Farrugia Portelli did not respond. 

Times of Malta revealed the contents of Dr Mizzi's contract on Monday evening. This showed that the former minister was awarded the contract by the authority just weeks after stepping down in disgrace as Tourism Minister. 

The contract, signed by MTA head Johann Buttigieg, shows that Dr Mizzi would be receiving €6,700 per month, exclusive of VAT.

Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat did not comment about the deal when questioned as he entered parliament on Tuesday afternoon. 

Opposition leader Adrian Delia raised the issue in the House and called on the government to explain. He asked if the prime minister was aware of it, when he became aware, and who had authorised the deal.

Government whip Glenn Bedingfield said no statement could be given by the prime minister since he was away, in Brussels.