The One TV premises in Marsa.

Opposition deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami on Tuesday revealed in Parliament how former Labour Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, in 1963, acquired Esso land by the sea at Marsa and then, when in power in 1971, kicked out the British company and started buying oil from Libya at three times the price.

In a 40-minute attack on the past and present Labour administrations over what he termed “stolen properties”, Dr Fenech Adami maintained the PL had acquired Australia Hall and other properties in Pembroke, as well as the One TV premises in Marsa, on barter for the land occupied by Freedom Press. The party and Mr Mintoff, in his own name, had bought this land from Esso.

The sour relations between Esso and the government of the time were documented in messages sent by the US Embassy to the State Department – revealed by Wikileaks – outlining how Esso’s manager in Malta, Hugh Naudi, had advised he would “have to inform Esso’s customers beginning December 22 of impending withdrawal”.

In exchange for the Freedom Press property in Marsa, Labour had been offered other land in Marsa itself. It took that land – now used for its broadcasting station – but still insisted on obtaining the 10 tumoli of land in Pembroke, which was bigger than the Freedom Press area.

He said it was “very strange” that Mr Mintoff had first rented and then bought this land in the harbour zone which was crucial to Esso for its fuel trading operations. He asked why the PL had chosen to acquire this land when it could have established a printing press in any other area.

The PL had laid claim to its former site at Marsa if it handed the property in Pembroke back to the State, but this barter did not have any legal foundation.

It was very strange that Mr Mintoff had first rented and then bought this land in the harbour zone which was crucial to Esso for its fuel trading operations

He described as “obscene” the government’s decision to withdraw the court case over the Pembroke property against the Labour Party. The 10 tumoli of land near Australia Hall had a commercial value of €10 million which the PL had stolen from the State.

The PL, he said, had to come clean with respect to Henley & Partners. Was it one of the companies offered contracts before to the general election? Other individuals too were claiming they should be awarded tenders because of promises made to them.

Labour had acquired the former police station in the heart of Rabat and transformed it into its village club. The party even boasted of having convinced the then Lands Minister Patrick Holland, now deceased, to change the lease into emphytheusis making them owners of the property for a meagre sum of money.

Labour had, for years, financed itself by “stealing public and private property” also through abusing the Requisiton Order Ordinance. “This is immoral!” Dr Fenech Adami said.

On the Bill under debate, Dr Fenech Adami said the Opposition was in favour of regulating party financing and had made proposals, including thresholds so that donations could be regulated.

He accused the government of using populist terms to promote the Bill when it was “projecting a lie”.

The government was being hypocrital in criticising the Opposition for proposing state funding of political parties.

He said this system was found in many European democratic states and was the way forward in holding political parties accountable.