Repubblika has expressed strong concern over a recent property purchase by Roderick Galdes, Minister responsible for social and affordable housing, who acquired a luxury penthouse in Gozo from developer Joseph Portelli for €140,000 – a price critics argue is far below what ordinary Maltese families would pay for a similar property today.
At a time when young couples struggle to enter the housing market and families face unsustainable debt, the purchase has raised serious questions about conflicts of interest. Developers linked to Galdes’ ministry have been awarded multi-million euro contracts, and while it remains unclear whether the transaction was fully compliant with the law, many argue that public office should never be used for personal gain.
Repubblika highlighted that the lack of transparency is compounded by the government’s ongoing refusal to publish ministers’ asset declarations, fostering public suspicion.
The NGO has called for:
- An immediate, independent investigation into whether the property transaction involved preferential treatment.
- Urgent publication of updated asset declarations for all ministers.
- Clear, enforceable rules preventing ministers or senior officials from engaging in personal business with companies receiving contracts from departments under their oversight.
“This is not an abstract housing crisis,” Repubblika said. “It is a daily burden for thousands who cannot afford to buy or rent decent homes. Nothing is more cynical than a Minister for ‘Affordable Housing’ using his privileged position to acquire property that ordinary citizens can only dream of.”
The Maltese Herald can confirm that Galdes has previously been investigated by the FIAU regarding his property acquisitions, including a UK property. Meanwhile, Moviment Żgħażagħ Partit Nazzjonalista recently launched a new campaign highlighting Galdes’ so-called Black Friday-style penthouse purchase from a major Maltese developer.
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