Malta Gov Wins Case Against Steward Healthcare

The Government of Malta has won an international case against Steward Healthcare, the company that used to run three of Malta’s hospitals under a controversial deal.

Earlier today, the government confirmed that it prevailed in arbitration proceedings held by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), where Steward had demanded around €148 million from Malta.

The tribunal rejected Steward’s claim, saying the government did not unlawfully terminate the hospitals deal and doesn’t owe Steward any damages.

According to the ICC’s decision, both sides benefited from the deal, with Malta getting around €889 million worth of services and Steward getting around €884 million in payments, meaning a shortfall of just €4.7 million that the government must pay Steward.

The government described the result as a major win that “vindicates its position” and said it shows that public money was protected. Officials also thanked the legal teams and civil servants who worked on the case.

They added that the government is reviewing the full decision with its legal advisors to understand all its implications.

Former Opposition Leader, now PN MP Adrian Delia played a major role in challenging the hospitals concession. Back in 2018, Delia filed a court case demanding that the agreement between the government and Vitals Global Healthcare (later taken over by Steward) be annulled, describing it as fraudulent and against the national interest.

In 2023, the Maltese courts ruled in his favour, declaring the entire deal null and void, a landmark decision that paved the way for this international ruling.

The Nationalist Party (PN) has long condemned the hospitals concession, calling it one of the biggest scandals in Malta’s history. The party repeatedly claimed that around €400 million in public funds were paid to Vitals and Steward throughout the course of the deal, money which, according to PN , should be recovered and returned to the Maltese people.

However, the ICC’s arbitration decision does not reflect that claim, with a €4.78 million shortfall identified in Steward’s favour.

#MaltaDaily