In the midst of an election campaign, an important story about our Prime Minister went relatively unnoticed.
Last Monday, The Times published a story about how Robert Abela pocketed €45,000 from a property deal.
But it wasn’t any property deal…
What Abela first played down as a simple assignment of rights for a small plot of land, was actually a very questionable deal over a plot of nine apartments and garages.
In June 2018, Abela promised Bonnici Brothers that he would buy a plot of land in Zabbar.
That very same day, suspected criminal gang ringleader Christian Borg received a Planning Authority permit to develop the plot of land (despite having no connection to it).
Some months later, Abela sold the property to Borg, making €45,000 profit.
At the time, Abela was a legal advisor to the Bonnici Brothers, to the Planning Authority, to Christian Borg and to Joseph Muscat.
This deal raises many questions, answers to which we are only likely to get after the election takes place:
- Did Robert Abela declare to the Planning Authority that he had a conflict of interest in this case?
- Why did Christian Borg apply for the permit instead of Robert Abela?
- Did Robert Abela declare this income? Did he pay the right amount of tax on it?
- If Borg knew he wanted the property and Bonnici Brothers knew they wanted to sell it, why did Robert Abela get involved?
- Did Robert Abela put any pressure on the Planning Authority to approve this permit? Did it follow regulations?
- What exactly was Robert Abela being paid €45,000 for?
No wonder Robert Abela avoids interviews like the plague.
Vote him out.