Updated 8.35pm, adds PL statement

A member of Prime Minister Robert Abela’s family was filmed being chauffeured in a car registered to alleged kidnapper Christian Borg, Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi has claimed. 

During an adjournment speech in parliament on Wednesday, Azzopardi claimed the prime minister has several links to Borg, who is the subject of a police probe into various criminal activities, including drug smuggling and money laundering.

Borg and his associates came to public attention last month when he was arraigned in court accused of the violent kidnapping of another man. 

On Sunday Times of Malta revealed that Abela was involved in a property deal with Borg,  which included paperwork that could potentially be used as a legal loophole to avoid tax exposure. 

Abela, who has acted as Borg’s lawyer in the past, said the deal involved a “small parcel of land in Zabbar”, but refused to say how much money he made from it.

In parliament on Wednesday, Azzopardi said that eight months ago a member of the prime minister's family had been photographed being chauffeured in a rented Range Rover registered in Borg’s name. 

“The car was being driven by a chauffeur who was in the car together with this member of the Abela family,” Azzopardi said. 

“Obviously, I know who it is, but for prudence’s sake, I’m going to stop here and say only that it’s a member of Abela’s family. I believe now more than ever that the House and the people deserve to know exactly what the relationship between Robert Abela and Christian Borg is and whether Christian Borg is simply a stand-in for someone already known”. 

The vehicle registered in Borg's name in which a member of Robert Abela's family was being chauffeured

Azzopardi also claimed that the police are in possession of a recording allegedly made by an employee of Borg’s, in which Borg was allegedly filmed saying “don’t worry about it because Bobby will fix it”.

“Now, as to who this Bobby is, it’s up to the police to tell us,” Azzopardi said.

“It could refer to Bobby Moore or even Bobby Solo. But it could also refer to other people, isn’t that so?” 

Additionally, Azzopardi said that in 2020, after Abela became prime minister, car hire business Goldcar won a tender to supply Transport Malta with 38 low emission vehicles, two self-drive vans and one cargo van, despite the company not being eligible to make an offer on the bid.

Borg previously ran the Goldcar car rental franchise in Malta, which Azzopardi also claimed ran a racket with insiders from Transport Malta and LESA to erase up to €3 million in traffic contraventions.

PL statement

In a brief statement later, the Labour Party said Azzopardi was a serial liar whose adjournment speech was one of a "politician of the past with a lot to hide".