Court throws out PN case against State Advocate - states that only the PM can authorise procedures to recoup the EUR 400 million in Vitals scandal

A court has dismissed a PN case challenging the State Advocate to recover the defrauded funds in the now defunct hospitals' deal. 

Late last year, opposition leader Bernard Grech and PN MP Adrian Delia filed a court case calling on the State Advocate to recover €400 million in funds defrauded through the deal.

The PN's case argued that, after the courts had declared the deal fraudulent, the State Advocate was duty-bound to take action to recover the funds on his own steam, without waiting for direction from the government.

However Judge Toni Abela has ruled that it is the sole responsibility of the Prime Minister to recoup the funds or start procedures to get these funds back.

It remains to be seen if the PM will act on this judgement although there have been several claims that most of the EUR 400 million amount was due to salaries and other expenses.