Updated 12.45pm with PN comment

Owen Bonnici has challenged the Nationalist Party leader to publish proof that a loan by construction magnate Zaren Vassallo to the party was paid back.

The Justice Minister said Mr Vassallo had given the PN a loan of €250,000 in 2012, days after a compromise deal had been reached with him by the government on the Lowenbrau site in Qormi.

Dr Bonnici said it was already wrong that the loan was made days after the land transfer but it would be worse if the loan was never repaid.

"I challenge the Opposition leader so that tomorrow when he addresses supporters to publish proof the loan was repaid," he said.

The case revolves around the lifting of government conditions on the Lowenbrau site that allowed Mr Vassallo's company to acquire the land free and unencumbered from Marsovin. According to the NAO the condition was lifted for a pittance.

Dr Bonnici reiterated he had sworn evidence that former land minister Jason Azzopardi had assured Mr Vassallo a compromise deal would be reached.

However, he has not published the proof and said he would be doing so "shortly".

The minister would not say either when he came in possession of the evidence.

The National Audit Office came down heavily on the 2009 deal. It said the lifting of government conditions (the land originally had to be used for a brewery) had to be referred to parliament or the land re-issued by tender, none of which were done.

The NAO was also critical of a compromise negotiated in 2012 that calculated the cost of lifting the condition at 1990 prices for a total of €700,000.

On Dr Azzopardi, the NAO said the former minister had to bear “a degree of responsibility for this gross misrepresentation of the value of the land”.

In an odd three-worded reply this afternoon, the Nationalist Party replied to Dr Bonnici's press conference with the words: "Get a life".