Muscat says he was not present when Cabinet discussed termination package

Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that he was not present when the Cabinet discussed his termination package.

Answering questions by The Malta Independent, Muscat said that he is “not entitled to disclose Cabinet discussions, also because I was not present when the said decisions were taken.”

Last week The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that the OPM was reluctant to provide information on Muscat’s termination package, but workings by the newspaper put the figure at around €135,000 over three years.

Outgoing Prime Ministers and Ministers have been entitled to termination benefits since 2004, Muscat said in his reply.

Muscat was also asked about his presence at a meeting between the government and Steward Health Care, where the deal on the privatisation of three public hospitals was discussed.

Muscat said that the government had already clarified that “no negotiations were held during the brief introductory meeting, and my presence with the Deputy PM and the Principal Permanent Secretary was part of this introductory meeting.”

The Malta Chamber of Commerce yesterday demanded clarification from the government regarding media reports about Muscat’s role during the meeting.

“It is the Chamber’s view that the government ought to focus on how to maximise efficiencies from this controversial deal, especially in the light of the great expense this has been so far to the public coffers,” the chamber said in a statement.