Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this evening that he saw a future non-political national role for outgoing President George Abela and said he expected the government would call upon his services.

Dr Muscat was replying to questions on Dissett, almost a year after the general election.

Asked about the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Dr Muscat insisted details would only be released when the time was right. He would not confirm that he would himself hold the health portfolio when a reshuffle was announced, although he said there would be innovative ideas.

He said that when a reshuffle was made, one of the ministries would have public-private partnerships within its remit.

Asked who would handle the problems plaguing the social housing system once Social Solidarity Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preca takes the presidential office, Dr Muscat said he had “significant” plans for improving the sector.

Among the measures could be the cancelling of building contractors’ government debt in exchange for properties to be used for public housing. Dr Muscat said he was still considering such a proposal, and he would only take a decision once he had a full understanding of the financial repercussions to the public coffers.

Dr Muscat said the Coleiro-Preca presidency would not be like the old presidencies. “This will not be a normal presidency,” he said, saying it would be a different, active, presidency. 

He saw a future non-political national role for George Abela and said the government could call upon his services in Malta and abroad. This, he said, had already been discussed although no role had been defined. He did not exclude a role in the Constitutional Convention.

On the oil procurement scandal, Dr Muscat said when questioned that he did not exclude withdrawing the presidential pardon given to rogue oil trader George Farrugia.

Mr Farrugia was given the pardon on condition that he turned state witness for the investigation into the oil procurement scandal.