Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1519882
SEVERAL Maltese and foreign peo- ple and companies have been identi- fied as money laundering suspects in connection to the hospitals inquiry, MaltaToday has learnt. Criminal proceedings will probably be taken against former prime min- ister Joseph Muscat, his former chief of staff Keith Schembri, and former health minister Konrad Mizzi. A money laundering investigation may lead to the freezing of assets. Magistrate Gabriella Vella, who was investigating the sale of three public hospitals to Vitals Global Healthcare, concluded her report and passed it on to the Attorney General on 25 April. The day coin- cided with the opening of election nominations. The Registrar of the Criminal Courts Franklin Calleja yesterday confirmed in court that 78 boxes full of evidence and the inquiry report were passed on to the AG last week. He was testifying in the case insti- tuted by Joseph Muscat to remove the inquiring magistrate, which the former PM accused of acting polit- ically. Prime Minister Robert Abela yes- terday criticised the timing of the inquiry's conclusion. He said the magistrate's decision was "clearly […] intended on interfering in the political timeline". In a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Muscat adopted a defiant tone and told reporters he had no doubt he will be charged. He insist- ed he did nothing wrong and would fight the charges tooth and nail. READ MORE PAGES 2- 5 WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 1 MAY 2024 • ISSUE 892 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY EDITORIAL • PAGE 11 Several individuals, firms suspected of money laundering STEWARD HOSPITALS INQUIRY NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt PL, PN election campaigns kick off today in shadow of Vitals inquiry KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Robert Abela accuses magistrate of 'interfering with political timeline' THE election campaigns of the two major parties will kick off in earnest today overshadowed by the conclusion of the hospitals inquiry. The Labour Party will be holding its traditional Work- ers' Day mass meeting in Valletta, while the Nationalist Party will be gathering at Ġnien l-Għarusa tal-Mosta in Mosta. The PL officially kicked off its campaign on Sunday with Robert Abela's closing speech at the general confer- ence during which the European and local council elec- tion slogan Strength to the Maltese was unveiled. The PN is expected to unveil its election theme today. The two events come 24 hours after it was confirmed that the hospitals inquiry was concluded last week and the findings passed on to the Attorney General. SEE PAGES 7 - 9