A search has been carried out on Minister Anton Refalo’s property in Qala to locate a protected VR marker that The Shift revealed on Tuesday was placed by his pool.
A spokesman for the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage confirmed that following an “inspection” at the property “the artefact has been identified, and the proprietor is collaborating in full”.
The Superintendence has so far refused to name the so-called “proprietor” and to state whether a police report has been lodged so that criminal charges are filed according to law.
The old stone marker, with the initials VR (Victoria Regina), is considered by law to be part of Malta’s protected national heritage. It is clearly restored and placed on a pedestal in the minister’s courtyard, photos uploaded to social media by his son show.
Appropriating items of cultural and historical value is a criminal offence, punishable with a fine of up to €116,000 or a maximum of six years imprisonment.
The minister and former chairman of Heritage Malta has so far refused to explain how the stone marker got to be in his possession, as revealed by The Shift, and why he had not reported the discovery to the authorities, as obliged by law, choosing instead to place it on a stone pedestal in his home.
Prime Minister Robert Abela has so far not reacted to the story involving one of his ministers or to state what action he will be taking. Questions sent yesterday to the Office of the Prime Minister have been ignored.
Sign up to our newsletter Stay in the know
"*" indicates required fields
Abela in a rush to sign €120 million direct order before elections
Court dismisses ‘massive conflict of interest’ claims for new Tarxien fireworks factory in Għaxaq
Protected birds once again targeted during 2026 spring hunting season
Owen Bonnici puts aide’s entire family on ministry payroll
Tags
#Anton Refalo
#artefact
#crime
#Cultural Heritage
#home
#illegal
#raid
#search
#Superintendence of Cultural Heritage
#VR stone
Other News
Abela in a rush to sign €120 million direct order before elections
Court dismisses ‘massive conflict of interest’ claims for new Tarxien fireworks factory in Għaxaq
Protected birds once again targeted during 2026 spring hunting season
Owen Bonnici puts aide’s entire family on ministry payroll
Byron Camilleri continues ‘past injustices’ crusade with handouts for correctional officers
Minister fails to explain exorbitant campaign launch spend
Abusive recruitment continues as Head of Public Service ignores established practice
Wasteserv blames public for latest Magħtab blaze as mismanagement continues
€9,000 a month payment to Malta Autism Centre stopped following Director’s abuse claims
Illegal Manoel Island padel courts set to be sanctioned for just €900
Malta’s debt interest bill has exploded by over €100 million in five years
min jaf x seraq iktar!!
dejjem jaraw x’se jisirqu, hallelin bil-provi. ISTHU
Well done to you, and thanks for your hard work you are doing for us all Maltese people in the world .we Maltese people look what interests .to see what is going on in malta, as we are getting fed up with people telling us that we are from a mafya place
It is very hard being Maltese out of malta .
Their insatiable greed and stupidity will be their downfall
No one should be above the law
If this were a normal country , minister stupid recall would have resigned this morning, quietly, and would have had a court proceeding instituted against him
Din b’kumbinazjoni? Minn jaf kemm hemm aktar. Memx wiehed/wahda sura f’dan il movement
Min Refalo dak pur. Fiz zmien Alfred Sant meta refalo kien ministru kien tefalu Haber shadow warah ghax ma kienx jafdah. Omerta ghawdxija ghala TOTO RINA. X ghamillu it tifel qad jibblafja u ritratti ma kolona. Fi zmien Kristu kien iflagelat ma kolona forsi hekk kellu hsieb jaghmel Refalo biex jindem min dnubietu
Dik il gebla zrara hdejn li seraq!!!
The restorer wanted to show the Minister how good was his work. Or some excuse like this…
Is that all they found??? Someone like that would not only have one artefact.
At least they did not give him the chance to hide it before they searched the place like usually happens in politics.
?the artefact has been identified, and the proprietor is collaborating in full?. Excuse my ignorance, but how, having something that does not belong to you and “is considered by law to be part of Malta?s protected national heritage”, makes someone, or anyone for that matter a ?proprietor? ???????
Tajjeb li wiehed jistaqsi x’ gara mill-investigazzjonijiet li ghamlu l-Pulizija? X’rrizulta fit-tfittxija, gie mitkellem Anton Refalo, gie arrestat u interrogat? X’ghamlet il-Pulizija sa issa? Veru li qed jistennew lil AG taghtijom l-go ahead biex jressqu l-kaz il-Qorti? Ma naghmlux mod li ghax titla f’elezzjoni generali jkollok xi imunita hux?