Prime Minister Joseph Muscat should come clean on who was involved in negotiations “before the last general election” to allow Joe Gaffarena to operate an illegal petrol station in Qormi, the Nationalist Party said today.

Addressing a press conference outside Castille, shadow minister for employment Therese Commodini Cachia said the Prime Minister had become a “hostage” to Mr Gaffarena.

“Joseph Muscat cannot continue to hide details about his relationship with Gaffarena,” she said.

The party renewed its calls for the resignation of parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon, who it said was “clearly and directly” involved in the scandal.

Opposition spokesman Ryan Callus said various facts of the scandal surrounding the requisition of property in Old Mint Street showed clear bad governance and misappropriation of public funds.

He said Opposition leader Simon Busuttil had shown the standards required in politics in his handling of former spokesman Joe Cassar, who resigned from Parliament yesterday, and the Prime Minister should now show that he was capable of doing the same.

Responding to questions from journalists, Dr Commodini Cachia denied that she had ever received donations from Mr Gaffarena or taken any member of the family to Brussels during her European Parliament election campaign.

She said she had met with Mr Gaffarena as a constituent, and while the issue of the petrol station had been raised, she had only advised him to clear all illegalities.