Over the weekend, the Nationalist Party (PN) orchestrated a large-scale demonstration in Castille Square under the rallying cry “Now get the €400 million back.” The protest aimed to put pressure on the government to recover the €400 million linked to the controversial hospitals’ deal.
In Valletta, a substantial crowd answered the PN’s call to express their discontent over what the party characterizes as “fraud and deceit” in the hospitals’ agreement. The demonstration occurred shortly after the Court of Appeal upheld the decision to invalidate the privatization deal involving Steward Healthcare.
Adrian Delia, former PN leader and current Member of Parliament, contended that the deal was a deliberate attempt to defraud the citizens of Malta and Gozo. Delia initiated a legal case against the government and Vitals in 2018, seeking the contract’s cancellation and the return of the three hospitals to public ownership.
Delia criticized the government’s actions, accusing them of conducting clandestine dealings with dishonest parties instead of safeguarding the interests of the Maltese and Gozitans. He went on to condemn Prime Minister Robert Abela for distancing himself from the deal and Health Minister Chris Fearne for claiming ignorance about its details. Delia demanded that the government cease being complicit and recover the €400 million, asserting that this marked the start of a battle to reclaim the funds.
Josef Vella, Chief Executive Officer of UĦM Voice of the Workers, pointed out the government’s lack of remorse regarding the hospitals’ deal. He urged the crowd to question the government about how the €400 million could have benefited Malta if it had genuinely prioritized the country’s welfare.
Vella also criticized the Labour Party for labeling the Mater Dei defective concrete incident as fraud while overseeing the hospitals’ agreement. He questioned the government’s commitment to tackling corruption.
PN Leader Bernard Grech alleged that the government prioritized the interests of Vitals and Steward over those of the nation. He called out former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister Robert Abela, and Chris Fearne for their roles in what he deemed a fraudulent scheme. Grech accused them of robbing the Maltese and Gozitans, as well as the sick and vulnerable in society.
He emphasized that the €400 million did not include workers’ wages, and he outlined the potential positive uses for such a sum, including building multiple hospitals and supporting cancer patients and addressing inflation.
In response to these claims, the Labour Party issued a statement accusing Bernard Grech of repeating falsehoods and attacking institutions to protect his position. The party contended that international arbitration was already in progress, and the government had initiated a case against Steward. The statement labeled Grech’s statements as politically motivated and misleading.
