Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated the government’s “full confidence” in the country’s institutions but said these had to exercise that confidence solely for the administration of justice “and nothing else”.

Speaking to Malta Today, the Prime Minister was giving his reaction to a search at former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s home early in the morning.

Muscat’s Burmarrad home was searched by the police on Wednesday as part of a corruption probe into the Vitals Global Healthcare (VGH) hospitals deal.

The former prime minister said he had been tipped off about a possible raid by someone "within the Nationalist Party" who told him that PN MP Jason Azzopardi was telling people about the planned search.

In comments following the search, Muscat said he was upset with the "needless theatrics" that he said were possibly designed to "humiliate" him.

During the search, the mobile phones of Muscat, his wife, and his two 14-year-old children were seized.

Abela noted that in his reaction to the search, Muscat had pointed out that he had asked to give evidence in the inquiry but he had not been called to do so.

Abela also said that he did not understand why the mobile phones of Muscat's daughters were seized but said he understands that an inquiring magistrate has the right to order such an action.

“As a government, we have confidence in the institutions but they have to be careful to ensure that this is retained. Inquiring magistrates have the power to do this but this power has to be used in the limit of justice and for no other aim,” he insisted.

He said he did not want to say much about the case in view of the inquiry.

However, he also noted the Opposition leader’s reaction to the search saying this exposed Bernard Grech “as a cheap politician”.

Reacting to news of the search, Grech said earlier in the day that in saying that someone was out to humiliate him, Muscat was implicitly threatening Abela. 

He said Muscat was implying that Abela intervened with the police to humiliate him. 

“He (Grech) said I used the police to send them to Joseph Muscat to humiliate him. This is the low level he has fallen into. Let us allow the institutions to work. This country is proud that it has institutions that work but they have to return that confidence in useful work for the administration of justice,” Abela said.

He said when asked that he had not spoken to Muscat following the search.