Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis this morning avoided giving comments to awaiting journalists and left a press conference through a secondary door.
Before the start of a press conference celebrating Ryanair's 10 years in Malta, Dr Zammit Lewis was told that journalists wanted to interview him at the end.
However, once the press conference was over, the minister called Labour's One TV journalists to an adjacent room to give them comments.
Journalists from Times of Malta, Malta Today, PBS and other media waiting outside were subsequently told by an MIA official that the minister had left with his driver.
When journalists tried to call Dr Zammit Lewis on his mobile phone for an explanation, he hung up his phone.
During the press conference Dr Zammit Lewis refused to say how many millions in subsidies Maltese taxpayers were paying Ryanair.