Prime Minister insists he never met with former VGH boss Ram Tumuluri

Prime Minister Robert Abela said he never met with former Vitals Global Healthcare boss Ram Tumuluri.

Abela skirted around questions by the Nationalist MP Mark Anthony Sammut, who asked the PM for a breakdown of the number of meetings Tumuluri had at the OPM in Castille between 2013 and 2023.

He was also asked when the meetings were held, and who was present.

Parliament is discussing a motion put forward by the Opposition condemning the Steward hospitals deal and obliging the government to sue the company.

A vote on the motion will be taken at the end of the sitting at 7pm. The Nationalist Party has also called on people to protest outside parliament.

Abela did not answer the parliamentary question, as it did not request information on whether he met Tumuluri, but on meetings which were held before his tenure as PM.

Earlier on Thursday, Steward announced the termination of the concession agreement, citing breaches of commercial agreements from government’s end.

“The company is disappointed at the Government of Malta’s failure throughout this engagement to keep faith with the spirit of the public-private partnership agreement,” it said in an announcement.