Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has described that the €4.2 million Café Premier deal through which the government bought back the public lease of this prime site in Valletta as a “scandal stinking of corruption”.

In a short eight-minute interview on Radio 101, Dr Busuttil called on the Prime Minister to shoulder responsibility for this deal.

“This money could have could have been spent on a new school, to reduce waiting lists, and cut fuel prices,” the PN leader said.

Dr Busuttil was commenting in the wake of the Auditor General report tabled in Parliament last Tuesday which revealed serious shortcomings in the deal which included a commission of €210,000.

The opposition leader said that the Prime Minister’s involvement in this deal transpired from the report itself despite Dr Muscat’s denial.

“This payment should have never happened,” he said.

He added that the report also included an email in which the Prime Minister replied  “Ok let’s move on” with reference to the payment.

The PN leader reiterated how the government could have got back this property by taking the tenants to court for not paying the rent.

He also questioned the timing of the meetings held between Dr Muscat and the Premiere owners immediately before and after the last general election.

“Is it possible that after spending 25 years in opposition, Labour’s utmost priority was to meet the Café Premiere owners?” he questioned.

Dr Busuttil added that the revelation made by Times of Malta, that the owners had refused a €4.2 million offer from entrepreneur Anġlu Xuereb at the same time when the deal with the government had been concluded, fuelled further questions.

The PN leader said if Dr Muscat wanted to keep his word on good governance he had to come clean on his involvement in this deal.