Prime Minister Joseph Muscat indicated today the police were not investigating Minister Konrad Mizzi and chief of staff Keith Schembri, pointing out that the police had already declared there was no reasonable suspicion for such an investigation, in the wake of the Panama Papers. 

Asked during an unrelated press conference if the pair were being investigated in view of a statement by Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela yesterday, Dr Muscat said he disagreed with an interpretation (by Opposition Simon Busuttil) that such a probe was under way.

Dr Abela said yesterday in parliament that all cases raised by the Opposition were investigated, whereupon Dr Busuttil said this meant an investigation of the minister and the prime minister's chief of staff was under way.

Dr Muscat said it was already well known that the police had declared there were no grounds for such an investigation.

Questioned about a report by the government’s anti-money laundering agency (FIAU) on the two men, Dr Mizzi said the agency was an independent authority that did not give reports to politicians.

Dr Muscat walked off from the press conference after taking the two questions.

The head of the agency Manfred Galdes resigned in summer reportedly after handing the report to the police.

Police Commissioner Michael Cassar resigned in April at the height of the Panama Papers scandal.

Both Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri were found to have opened secret companies in Panama.

E-mails sent by their financial advisers Nexia BT gave the go-ahead to open up bank accounts that would have required annual deposits of close to $1 million.

In comments to Times of Malta last month, Green MEP Sven Giegold insisted that Dr Mizzi's audit by a private company in no way replaced a proper investigation.