Refalo adds forgotten Xlendi seafront apartments to assets declaration

Minister Anton Refalo has presented a new version of his declaration of assets to Parliament with an addition to his vast property portfolio.

In his new declaration, Refalo admitted he had forgotten to include two seafront apartments on the water’s edge in Xlendi that he owns, stating it had been a mistake on his part.

Refalo explained he had incorrectly stated his properties in Xlendi consisted of just part of the ground floor of an old building, when in fact, it was part of a new 20-apartment seafront block that includes four restaurants.

Considered to be one of the Cabinet’s wealthiest ministers, Refalo, a former Gozo Minster and a veteran of the Labour’s Party’s Parliamentary Group, declared that he had an income of almost €160,000 in 2021, mostly through the lease of property.

A lawyer by profession, Refalo was reintegrated into Cabinet by Prime Minister Robert Abela after having been ousted by former disgraced prime minister Joseph Muscat.

He has declared being the owner of some 22 different properties that are mostly in Gozo, including several apartments on the rental market.

Refalo recently made headlines following The Shift’s reports of the Victorian era road marker, discovered being illegally kept in the courtyard of his residence in Qala. The minister has never publicly explained how he came to be in possession of the protected artifact.

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, meanwhile, has still not declared his income for 2021 as he is obliged to do since the code of ethics stipulates that sitting MPs need to declare their previous year’s income. Attard had already been an MP in the previous legislature and was made justice minster after the last election.