Muscat lashes out at Busuttil over bribery accusation

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has accused Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of having been “bribed”, in a debate on Timestalk on PBS to be broadcast tonight.

The accusation caused Muscat to express his regret that the PN had been “saddled with a leader like Busuttil.”

In discussing the €4.2 million bailout of the Café Premier leaseholders, Muscat was about to pass a jibe that it was the PN that needed a bailout due for its own financial troubles.

It was at this point that Busuttil interjected, saying: “Well, that’s because we don’t get bribed.”

At that point, Muscat turned to Busuttil. “Are you saying that I get bribed?”

Of course, Busuttil replied as he qualified his statement. “When you have the NAO report saying that you pay €4.2 million to the Café Premier [operators]… these are the suspicions raised by such shortcomings.”

By then, Muscat was on the attack, refusing to turn to Busuttil. “I pity the PN for having been saddled with this kind of leader. Keep digging your own hole.”