Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis this evening refused to reply to questions in parliament about a report that Air Malta was given unsecured loans by Bank of Valletta to cover a shortfall in fuel hedging.

The minister, as well as Speaker Anglu Farrugia said the question, by Nationalist MP Antoine Borg, could not be put as it was a supplementary question not related to the original. 

Dr Zammit Lewis said he could not comment on an issue involving banking secrecy, in this case between Air Malta and Bank of Valletta. However he hoped the Opposition would not base itself on a report such as this, which was damaging to Air Malta and Bank of Valletta and not accurate. 

He also noted that in the past legislature, then minister Tonio Fenech had refused to answer a range of questions about Air Malta, including the cost of uniforms.

Mr Borg and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said they were asking their questions because this involved a matter of national interest.

Dr Zammit Lewis said he could say that the relationship between Bank of Valletta and Air Malta was stronger now than it was under the former government.