Robert Abela Alleges Oil Smuggler Behind PN’s ‘Petrol Station In The Med’ Proposal

Prime Minister Robert Abela has questioned who is behind the Nationalist Party’s proposal to develop an offshore fuel hub in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to the media during a press conference, Abela asked whether there was a “hidden investor” backing the proposal, which PN leader Alex Borg previously described as “a petrol station in the middle of the Mediterranean”.

The Prime Minister said the Opposition had not made the project presentation public, while claiming that the figures included in the proposal were misleading. Abela also alleged that the individual behind the proposal may be linked to oil smuggling activities in Malta, adding that the same proposal had previously been presented to him personally and was rejected due to concerns over the project’s feasibility and implementation timeline.

In response, Nationalist Party Shadow Minister for Energy Ivan Castillo accused the Prime Minister of attempting to ridicule the PN’s proposal. Castillo defended the project, saying it had also received endorsement from the chairman of the Malta Maritime Forum.

The exchange follows the PN’s recent announcement of plans to establish a fixed offshore fuel hub near Hurds Bank to service vessels travelling through the Mediterranean. During a news conference on Tuesday, Borg said the project could generate €450 million in revenue within three years without increasing pressure on Malta’s infrastructure.

According to the PN, the hub would create a new economic niche for Malta and could also be used to supply LNG to the Delimara Power Station through a subsea pipeline.

#MaltaDaily