Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1501168
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 JUNE 2023 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The reason behind this dis- information campaign appears to be Fearne's testimony on the VGH-Steward hospitals deal, which may prove crucial in the ongoing inquiry conducted by Magistrate Gabriella Vella. Fearne's testimony has already been given a lot of weight by a Maltese judge who struck down the hospitals contract earlier this year. Subsequently, in his third hospitals investigation published last month, the Auditor General made it amply clear that he be- lieved the deputy prime minis- ter over former minister Konrad Mizzi. Unbeknown to many, Fearne had testified in the magisterial in- quiry, which kicked off four years ago following a complaint filed by rule of law NGO Repubblika. Sources within the judicial sys- tem have suggested "things are coming to a head", implying that the magistrate was in the process of completing her job before for- mer prime minister Joseph Mus- cat asked the constitutional court to remove her. The inquiry could very well rec- ommend criminal charges be is- sued against key people from the Muscat administration involved in the hospitals deal, including the former prime minister. But the attempt to undermine Fearne's credibility could also play into the hands of Steward Health Care in ongoing arbitration pro- ceedings in front of the Interna- tional Court of Arbitration. Stew- ard is contesting the termination of the Malta hospitals concession. "There is clearly a hidden hand pushing these stories to try and damage Chris Fearne's reputa- tion," a source close to govern- ment has told MaltaToday. "This appears to be an attempt to create chaos, muddy the waters and di- vert attention from recent investi- gations by reputable news organ- isations that have ruffled a lot of feathers." The Muscat revelations One the most recent revelations was that published by Times of Malta in a joint collaboration with The Shift and OCCRP (Organised Crime Corruption Reporting Pro- ject). The investigation showed that after stepping down from prime minister in January 2022, Muscat had received payments for con- sultancy work he did with a Swiss company, Accutor, that had in a previous incarnation been called VGH Europe. VGH Europe was set up by Ram Tumuluri, one of the key players in the hospitals deal awarded to Vitals Global Healthcare (VGH) in 2015 and subsequently trans- ferred to Steward Health Care. Steward had made several pay- ments to Accutor after it acquired the hospitals concession. Muscat has denied any wrong- doing, insisting all consultancy work is documented and legiti- mate. He then upped the ante and filed constitutional proceedings to remove the inquiring magistrate after she refused to recuse herself because her father and brother had publicly shown support to an- ti-corruption protests in 2019. The constitutional proceedings risk stopping the inquiry in its tracks pending an outcome. In a recent interview on Smash TV, Muscat hinted at the im- minent possibility of him being charged in court, threatening to sue those fomenting the whole affair. He went on to accuse his 'unknown' detractors as "freema- sons", an establishment well con- nected to the togas in court, he said. Sources in the Labour Party have told MaltaToday that Mus- cat's foray on Manuel Cuschieri's Smash TV show was a source of concern. The former PM played the victim card and tugged at the heartstrings of the PL's core sup- porters in what the sources in- terpreted as a message to Robert Abela, who has so far adopted a detached stand, insisting that the institutions should be allowed to do their job. NICOLE MEILAK THE police and the inquiring magistrate investigating the Vitals Global Healthcare hospitals deal are yet to call Carmen Ci- antar in for questioning over bribery al- legations. Ciantar confirmed with MaltaToday that neither the police nor the magistrate have summoned her since the allegations came out in foreign media. A police spokesperson also told Malta- Today that investigations are being car- ried out in coordination with the inquiring magistrate in this regard. The allegations of bribery stem from news reports in Pakistani media which claimed that Ciantar received several pay- ments totalling €443,500 from Gozo Inter- national Medicare Ltd between October 2015 and February 2016. The reports claim that the information came from a leaked tranche of banking documents, which indicated there were at least 15 invoices submitted to Gozo Inter- national Medicare by Ciantar. The news report also alleged that the money was paid from the company's ac- count at the Dubai-headquartered Emir- ates NBD Bank. The news portal Daily Pakistan claimed that the company then transferred €750,000 as a "loan repayment" into an account at Bordier & Cie Geneva, a Swiss private bank, registered to a Pana- manian entity, Glotal Finance Inc., which purportedly referenced Ciantar. Since the allegations came out, Ciantar has written to the Police Commissioner asking that she be investigated over the claims being made. She also tendered her suspension as head of the Foundation for Medical Services. Health Minister Chris Fearne also urged police and authorities to investigate the bribery allegations. Another report from Ukrainian news portal censor.net claimed that Ciantar's daughter, Celine Camilleri Ciantar, re- ceived suspicious payments from Austrian businessman Vyacheslav Reszchikov. The article is not accessible in Malta but was reproduced in the EU Reporter. It was later taken down after Celine Camilleri Ciantar issued a right of reply denying the allegations. Camilleri Ciantar categorically denied the reports. In her right of reply, her law- yers said that she "does not even know, be it directly or indirectly, Mr Vyacheslav Reszchikov". "Our client reiterates that this article and the allegations it contains are completely baseless, unfounded and are pure inven- tions solely intended to damage and harm our client's good repute and professional standing." "This article and the series of lies and conjectures being maliciously pushed for- ward by third parties against our client and her mother, Ms Carmen Ciantar, are a complete fabrication simply intended to cause harm to the private and professional lives of our clients." Police, magistrate yet to summon Carmen Ciantar for questioning Carmen Ciantar has still not been called in for questioning over bribery allegations linked to the Vitals Global Healthcare hospitals deal 'There is clearly a hidden hand pushing these stories' An article on the Daily Pakistan portal