Former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had told oil trader George Farrugia's wife when she asked for a meeting with her husband to discuss a tender that on a point of principle, he did not have meetings on tenders.

In a statement this evening following the publication of e-mails on Malta Today, Dr Gonzi said that between 2006 and 2013 he received 96,433 e-mails and replied to 46,086, a total of 142,519 e-mails.

The e-mails published by the newspaper were also referred to by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this morning who said that although Dr Gonzi told the Public Accounts Committee a few days ago that he did not know who Mr Farrugia was, these e-mails showed otherwise.

In his statement, Dr Gonzi said the thousands of e-mails he received included one from Ms Farrugia on February 4, 2008 congratulating him for the March 8, 2008 election, which he answered on March 19, 2008.

Ms Farrugia, Dr Gonzi said, sent him another e-mail on July 2, 2008 requesting a meeting with her husband.

He replied on July 3 asking what the meeting would be about. Ms Farrugia, Dr Gonzi said, wrote back that same day to say the meeting would be to discuss a tender.

Dr Gonzi said he immediately replied that, on a point of principle, he did not accept to have meetings on tenders.

He said he also insisted that everything had to be on record and that if there were any allegations of irregularities they should be referred to the competent authorities.