[WATCH] Prime Minister will nominate Chris Fearne again for EU commissioner if court does not indict him

Updated at 4:43pm with Chris Fearne reaction

The Prime Minister said he will re-nominate Chris Fearne for European Commissioner if the court does not find enough prima facie evidence to indict him.

Robert Abela was fielding questions during a press conference on Wednesday as the case against Fearne and others continued in court. Fearne is among the defendants accused of misappropriation and making fraudulent gain by abusing their position in relation to the Vitals hospitals concession.

Abela was asked whether he excludes nominating Fearne for the role of commissioner should the court not find enough prima facie evidence to indict the former health minister. “I absolutely don’t exclude it, it’s one of the most probable possibilities,” Abela responded.

Prima facie is one of the initial stages of a court case when the presiding magistrate determines whether their is enough evidence at face value for a formal bill of indictment to be issued against the accused.

The Prime Minister noted recent media reports where the Auditor General testified that no shortcomings were found in relation to former ministers Chris Fearne and Edward Scicluna in a national audit investigation of the hospitals deal.

Abela had announced in January that Fearne would be Malta's nominee for European Commissioner. However, Fearne resigned from Cabinet and withdrew his nomination when criminal charges were filed against him in connection with the Vitals case.

Time is pressing on the Prime Minister to nominate Malta's next European Commissioner. But Abela said he will take all the time available to make his choice. "I have until 24 July to nominate Malta's EU commissioner," Abela said.

The Prime Minister said on Wednesday that the court will on Thursday be delivering its verdict in the civil case filed by Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech and PN MP Adrian Delia in a bid to recoup the millions of euros that were paid to Vitals and Steward. Abela described the PN as "vindictive," adding that Delia and Grech sued Fearne for hundreds of millions of euros that were stolen by Steward.

“The biggest attack on Chris Fearne and his family was made by Adrian Delia and Bernard Grech,” Abela insisted, even when he was reminded that Steward paid €6 million from funds obtained from Maltese taxpayers to conduct a smear campaign against the ex-health minister.

Fearne reaction

Asked for his reaction to the Prime Minister's statement on a possible re-nomination for European Commissioner, Fearne told MaltaToday the court proceedings are still on going and he would rather wait for the decision. "Court proceedings are still on going. It is therefore ethically correct and respectful to the rule of law to allow the magistrate to deliberate serenely and without undue pressure. Once the decision is handed down I will see what the way forward is."