The Times of Malta website reported on Monday that Government of National Unity Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba sought the release of millions in frozen Libyan funds during his visit to Malta in August, but he was "disappointed" after Prime Minister Robert Abela refused.

The website quoted unnamed government sources as saying that Dabaiba was "particularly interested" in the Libyan funds at the shuttered Satabank, estimated at 10 million euros, and requested their return during his meeting with Abela on August 31.

Scandal-hit Satabank is currently in the liquidation process and client money is being held at the Central Bank of Malta.

Satabank was shut down in 2018 over widespread breaches of money laundering laws.

The sources said that Dabaiba was not only interested in the funds at Satabank, but referred to a court order for the Bank of Valletta to return more than 90 million euros to Libya. These funds are linked to the heirs of Muammar Gaddafi.

Maltese authorities had also seized $1.1 billion in a parallel Libyan currency, printed in Russia. Two containers packed full of the internationally unrecognized currency were discovered at Malta Customs in 2020 and, to date, have not been released.

A government spokesman said: “There was no discussion about any particular bank or financial institution. However, there were talks about pending dues owed to Maltese business institutions, including in the healthcare sector, as well as funds which are currently held up in financial institutions for various reasons – including sanctions.”