[WATCH] Muscat wants Egrant inquiry to be released, even if AG does not agree

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he believes that the Egrant Inc. inquiry should be fully released, even if the Attorney General does not agree.

Interviewed by the head of ONE News, Owen Galea, Muscat said that even though he has the utmost respect for Attorney General Peter Grech, he believed that the inquiry should be published even if he did not agree.

Muscat said that he will be acting on the legal advice of his lawyers, even if it opposes the Attorney General’s (AG) counsel. 

“The AG doesn’t want to publish the inquiry because there are individuals that are unrelated from the case, Muscat said, “Part of the inquiry reveals the names of people who should be investigated, which could disrupt the police from doing their work.”

Muscat explained that he is walking on thin ice as every name that is blacked out continues to raise doubts on him and his family. 

The said that he will now leave the case in the hands of the relevant authorities, claiming that trying to inhibit the investigation would mean that he would be pursuing a personal vendetta rather than justice. 

“I only hope that those who preached so much about the rule of law, can accept its outcome in their regard,” Muscat said. 

Asked whether he had any doubts on who might have falsified the documents, Muscat said that he had a couple of names in mind, but once again reiterated that he would rather leave it in the hand of the authorities. 

“I would be lying had I said I didn’t think who I believe is behind this, but I will not speculate and leave the experts to do their job,” he said.

Questioned about former Nationalist Party (PN) leader, Simon Bustil’s actions regarding the Egrant case, Muscat said that he knew what he was doing but still chose to proceed. 

“He tried to use a smokescreen and imply that he was feeding off information from another source, but the inquiry has now revealed his true intentions.”

Muscat stated that had Busuttil been voted into office, the country would now be in a political crisis with him at the helm. 

“He has refused to resign from being a member of parliament, imagine what he would have done as PM,” Muscat claimed.

Continuing on the need to call a general election a year early, Muscat said that it was the only viable solution, stating that whoever falsified the documents was threatening the very fabric of our institutions. 

“Despite knowing that there wasn’t any link to me and my family, prior to the Egrant Inquiry result, I was prepared to resign if this was true. That was the state of mind I was in,” Muscat said. 

The PM explained how the allegations had a deeper and more profound effect on his family, claiming that the hardest times came when his children had started asking questions about their and the family’s future.

“On that day, I realised more than ever that every action and allegation made against me put my family on the line,” Muscat said.

Questioned about any international backlash by other world leaders, Muscat said that those who knew him well had no doubt, but said that others were shocked at who and why someone would falsify such documents. 

“It is a deep scar that will take time to heal, but we will not be bitter and continue to keep on working,” Muscat said. 

The PM concluded by saying that next week he will be flying to Japan in a meeting with Japan PM, Shinzō Abe, in an effort to increase investment and trade between the countries.