[WATCH] Talks with Steward Healthcare have stopped, Prime Minister says

Talks with hospitals concessionaire Steward Healthcare have stopped, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Wednesday.

He did not give details but said government was insisting that the American company honour all its contractual obligations.

He said the government was also insisting that any tax arrears have to be paid and a judicial process is underway.

Abela confirmed that no talks with Steward Healthcare are now ongoing, but would not say whether this was the result of failure to conclude a new agreement with the company.

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Steward run three hospitals – St Luke’s, Gozo and Karen Grech – on concession after it acquired the arrangement from Vitals Global Healthcare.

It is understood that Steward have asked for the concession agreement to be renegotiated.

Abela said that a court decision on the hospitals contract was imminent and everyone has to respect the outcome.

The reference was to an ongoing court case instituted by former Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia to have the concession agreement rescinded and the hospitals returned back to the public.