PN opens case against State Advocate over inaction on fraudulent hospitals deal

The Nationalist Party has taken legal action against the State Advocate in the latest twist in the fraudulent hospitals deal saga.

On Tuesday, the PN argued that the State Advocate is the one who should work to recover the €400 million in taxpayer money that was paid to Vitals and Steward through the fraudulent deal.

The PN initiated legal action against the State Advocate, urging the court to affirm both his ability and responsibility to take action in recovering funds unlawfully given to Steward to the detriment of the Maltese State. PN leader, Bernard Grech also stated that his party has requested that the court treat the case with urgency.

The Opposition argued that the Court of Appeal’s latest judgement was a crucial factor that had given the State Advocate the direction to intervene. 

That ruling named ex-Joseph Muscat, INDIS, the State Advocate, the CEO of the Lands Authority, and the head of its board of governors.

In fact, the PN stated that since the state's interests outweighed those of individual government members, such as those whom the court determined to have failed in the hospitals' deal, the State Advocate's decision to take action should not be delayed to obtain the Prime Minister's or any other government official's approval. 

Highlighting the nature of the State Advocate's role, the Opposition referred to parliamentary debates in 2019 during the enactment of the law establishing the division between the Attorney General's and the State Advocate's Offices. These debates served as evidence that the State Advocate's responsibilities extended beyond mere advisory functions concerning the government.

Meanwhile, PN MP Adrian Delia stated that during the past 10 months, no one has shouldered responsibility, as government is insisting that no action be taken on the matter.

Lawyer, Edward Debono accompanied the PN for this case.