Benefits fraud scandal: Racket happened under Robert Abela’s protection, Grech tells supporters

The disability benefits racket happened under Robert Abela’s protection and invitation, Opposition leader Bernard Grecg claimed on Monday.

“Robert Abela is not only willing to lie and hide in order to gain power, but he is also ready to steal from the vulnerable,” the Nationalist leader told supporters at parliament square.

Supporters heeded the party’s call to protest the benefits fraud scandal, after it was revealed, illicit claims resulted in monthly payments from the Social Security Department, averaging approximately €450 per month.

Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday

The revelations emerged in a recent report which implicated former Labour MP Silvio Grixti in a long-running fraudulent scheme that assisted numerous individuals in wrongfully obtaining disability benefits.

It was claimed that Grixti allegedly provided individuals with fabricated medical documents, enabling them to apply for disability benefits meant for severe disabilities, which they did not actually suffer from.

Addressing the protest, Grech said Robert Abela “leads a gang of criminals” and has no other option but to buy his way into power, “because he cannot control the institutions from the Opposition benches.”

“Abela wants to give the impression that he did not know about anything, in other words he is saying he is incompetent. The person who led the scheme, was given one promotion after the other. If you didn’t know this, why keep promoting?” he said, referring to Grixti.

Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday

“This is organised crime, and this is not what the PN is saying, it is what civil society, NGOs and now social partners are saying,” Grech told supporters.

He also said the people have had enough, stating government has gone from “one scandal to another, and from one crisis to another.”

“When we had the energy crisis, they told us to read books and to turn off ACs. When we had the rubbish crisis, they told us to freeze our waste. This is because for Robert Abela and his government, it is everyone else’s problem, but his,” Grech said. “It’s everyone’s fault but his.”

Not a Nationalist issue, but a national one – Alex Perici Calascione

Deputy leader Alex Perici Calascione also addressed the protest, saying the party called the protest because it will not standby and not do anything.

“We want a serious and thorough investigation. We will not accept they charge and prosecute the small fish, and leave the big fish. It was not a one-man operation,” he said.

PN deputy leader Alex Perici Calascione (Photo: James Bianchi/mediatoday)

The PN deputy leader also insisted this was not a bi-partisan issue.

“This is not a Nationalist issue, but a national one,” he said.