Politics is a means to serve people and politicians should enter politics only with one aim in mind - to serve the nation and represent the electorate in the best honourable way. 

Politicians who, the day after they get elected, rush to open secret accounts in shady jurisdictions and lobby behind everyone’s back to set up bank accounts with the declared intention to pour commissions into them while in office, cannot be considered honourable politicians and the result of their labour can only be described as fake politics.

The irony is breath taking. While two Cabinet Ministers are currently discussing with journalists a way forward to update and revamp the archaic laws that govern the media and the press, Minister Konrad Mizzi has launched a propaganda campaign, presumably using public funds, to lash out at this media house.

While hell broke lose when Economy Minister Chris Cardona went as far as activating a garnishee warrant over a libel case he and his assistant initiated against blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, another first by a Labour minister who resorted to publish an audiovisual propaganda spot attacking the The Malta Independent went unnoticed.

Maybe it’s because one has become accustomed to expect the unexpectable from this government, particularly from the likes of Konrad Mizzi. Or maybe it’s because the desired effect at defaming this news organisation has had little if any success. 

Konrad Mizzi is propagating in his TV spot that The Malta Independent construed a news story in which it was pointed out that he opened his secret New Zealand trust on the same day Gasol sold its shares in Electrogas. Konrad Mizzi claims that these two events are separate and not linked to one another.

Even if such was the case, it is our job to investigate and publish such findings to inform the general public of those deeds politically exposed persons like Konrad Mizzi would like to hide from the public.

There is nothing fake in pointing out the facts emerging from journalistic findings. It is the job of journalists to push forward information and leave it to the actors embroiled in such controversies to explain their position.

The story referred to by Konrad Mizzi’s propaganda machine was not challenged in court neither by Mizzi himself nor by Electrogas or Gasol.

The reason is because it was factual and revealed facts, which cannot be refuted or denied because this newspaper provided documents that show the facts black on white.

With his actions Konrad Mizzi has shown to everyone that he has failed to understand his role and obligations in politics. He is a businessman with a PhD who doesn’t own a political soul.

He simply obeys his master’s voice, whoever that is, and has dragged into politics a very dangerous precedent by which the end justifies the means, at all costs.

His pre-electoral ploy to set up multi-million projects that have only sowed doubt and controversy because of the lack of transparency and because of his secret business structures has weakened the true meaning of politics.

Sadly, Konrad Mizzi is not his own man. He isn’t free to resign from his political role to continue leading his business endeavours. We know this from off the record conversations but we will not stoop as low by reproducing them unless pushed any further.

This newspaper rejects the allegation that it construed any fake news and expects Konrad Mizzi to retract the infamous audio visual spot attacking the free press.

When he is done from his parliamentary seat he will be remembered for the Panama Papers investigation, in which we are proud partners with the ICIJ.

He will be remembered as the only minister who sat in a Cabinet that permitted his wife to cash €13,000 in public funds each month with nothing to show for them.

This is not politics. This is not the reason why 95% of the population goes out to vote every five years. This is not the kind of politician the people deserve.

While we take full responsibility of our news stories and bow down to court judgments whenever we’re found to be at fault we urge the electorate to resist fake politicians who blind your eyes and steal your vote in a fake bid to serve the country.