The owner of the private jet on which the Finance Minister flew to watch a football match has described the controversy as “ridiculous”, saying politics and business were never discussed during the short holiday.

The chairman of the Tumas Group, George Fenech did not see how the minister’s position could have been compromised by accepting the free flight and match tickets in April.

“... It’s ridiculous. It means that if I now see him at a reception I cannot talk to him. I won’t distribute any hampers at Christmas time now,” an incredulous Mr Fenech said when contacted.

He insisted no political party ever gave him “red carpet treatment”.

“What we achieved as a company we did because we worked for it,” he added.

Claiming the whole affair was being pushed by “someone with a hidden agenda”, Mr Fenech said he had nothing to hide.

“I swear that on the trip we did not discuss politics or business. Both Joe Gasan and I made it clear that we were not to discuss either. I do not need to fly with the minister to talk to him about business. I make appointments like any other businessman does,” he said.

The controversy revolves around the minister’s perceived conflict of interest in flying with Mr Fenech, who is a casino operator, and the presentation of new regulations in Parliament to introduce stricter controls on gaming halls.

However, Mr Fenech was unfazed by the argument insisting casinos have been strictly regulated for 11 years.

He added that in January all casino operators had asked for a level playing field because the gaming halls were mushrooming and they were not regulated like casinos.

“I am not corrupting a minister by asking him to regularise a sector and ensure a level playing field. All casino operators made this request,” he said, referring to the judicial protest filed in January by all casinos asking the government to regularise the gaming halls.

The affair was raised during the Nationalist Party’s parliamentary group last Saturday and made public by Malta Today the following day.

On Monday, in an interview with The Times, the minister admitted to going on a free trip aboard George Fenech’s private jet to watch Arsenal play in Spain.

Accompanying the two was businessman Joe Gasan who obtained the match tickets for free through Ford’s sponsorship of the Champions League. The minister said he paid for his accommodation.

The minister has insisted he has a clear conscience and changes to the gaming law in the pipeline were never intended to advantage George Fenech.

Joe Gasan could not be contacted because he was abroad on business.

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