Joseph Muscat has again skirted a question as to whether his chief of staff Keith Schembri owns a personal account at Pilatus Bank.
Mr Schembri refused to confirm the allegation made by blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia when confronted last Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference at Auberge de Castille, the Prime Minister reiterated his hope that the magisterial inquiry into allegations linking his wife to Panama company Egrant will be concluded swiftly.
Dr Muscat said he trusted the independence of the magistrate and embraced the President’s message that institutions should be given the space to work serenely.
Dr Muscat would not say what was discussed between him and President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca this morning.
The President summoned the Prime Minister and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil for a meeting this morning, 24 hours after the PN leader called on her to exert moral authority and ask Dr Muscat to resign.
“I will not divulge what we discussed but what I told her is not different from what I have reiterated publicly,” Dr Muscat said, insisting he was still waiting for the evidence to back up what he described as a “malicious accusation” in his regard.
The PN yesterday organised a national protest after Ms Caruana Galizia alleged last week that Michelle Muscat owned Egrant and an account belonging to the company at Pilatus Bank had received deposits of $1 million from the Azerbaijani president’s daughter.
Dr Muscat insisted financial transactions could not be removed or erased since these were recorded internationally.
Asked about an FIAU investigation into Pilatus Bank, Dr Muscat said no politician had the authority to intervene in the agency’s work.
“I am not privy and no politician can ever be, to the work undertaken by the FIAU,” he said.
Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said he trusted the institutions like FIAU, the Central Bank and the tax authorities, when asked whether he was comfortable being part of a Cabinet led by a Prime Minister under investigation. “I expect these institutions to do their job.”