PN says it will fight on to recoup €400 million given to Steward

Opposition leader Bernard Grech has doubled down on his statement that the State Advocate should not be directed by government on whether to initiate legal proceedings to recover the €400 million paid to Steward Health Care. 

Grech was speaking during a press conference a day after government stated that it intends to intervene in a PN-filed court case aimed at pressuring the government to reimburse the concession to the Steward hospitals for more than €400 million, bringing the money back into state coffers.

On Friday, Grech reaffirmed that it was the PN who initiated the case to return the hospitals to the public, resulting in the court annulling the deal and calling it fraudulent. The Court of Appeal confirmed collusion between Steward and high-ranking government officials.

Grech questioned Prime Minister Robert Abela's steadfast defence of Steward, urging him to prioritise the interests of the Maltese public and recover €400 million given to Steward. He stated that the State Advocate, during the PN's judicial protests, implied that he was willing to open a court case for the €400 million recovery, but needed government instructions. 

Grech accused Abela and his government of attempting to halt the PN's case to reclaim the funds. He stressed that the State Advocate should act autonomously in retrieving the money and asserted that the PN would not be deterred by attacks. 

Grech declared the PN's unwavering focus on reclaiming the stolen €400 million.