The Prime Minister hoped this evening that the police will investigate and make public their conclusions about the names passed on to them by European Commissioner John Dalli of people he believed hacked his e-mail account.

The Prime Minister was reacting to comments by Mr Dalli this morning. Mr Dalli said he had passed on the names of the people he believed hacked his account to the Nationalist Party and also to the police.

Questioned during a visit to the abattoir in Marsa this morning, Mr Dalli said that the names belonged to people within the PN but he refused to name them or to say whether they held any particular posts within the party.

The EU Commissioner recalled that during a PN general conference in 2004, he had pointed out that that party was making certain Nationalists feel uncomforatable. The situation has since worsened and the responsibility for this should be shouldered by who was leading the party.

He drew parallels between how Richard Cachia Caruana was treated by the PN, being given details about his case and the opportunity to prepare his defence, and the way he was treated in 2004 when there was a false report in his regard.

Then, he said, he had not been made aware of accusations that were being made against him. That was wrong, he said.