Last December, a delegation of members of the European Parliament entrusted to assess the state of our rule of law left Malta with “more questions than answers”, with these concerns delivered in written form a few weeks later in a report which slammed the justice and governmental system in Malta.
The report not only backed up the claims which myself and my colleagues have been voicing over and over again, but expressed concern and called on the relevant institutions to investigate the on-goings in Malta, especially in relation to the operation of Pilatus Bank in Malta, the MFSA, the FIAU, Brian Tonna’s Nexia BT, the Attorney General’s office and the police force.
During the MEP delegation visit, the Prime Minister and his sidekicks Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri were called in, with Muscat only coming up with snide remarks and sarcastic comments, Schembri reading out a prepared statement and Mizzi failing to turn up entirely.
The damning MEP delegation report stated in no uncertain terms that Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri “should not be kept in public office and must be swiftly and formally investigated and brought to justice”.
The sense of déjà vu connoted to these comments is remarkable, as this statement has been repeatedly delivered to the Prime Minister for the good part of the past 2 years, including by former Nationalist leader Simon Busuttil and current leader Adrian Delia. This statement, coupled with the harsh reality that “keeping them in office affects the credibility of the Government, fuels the perception of impunity” is what ultimately led to Muscat calling early elections in 2017 in the first place.
Any civilised administration in a democratic, sane European country would take action - drastic action - following such a report.
The evidence so far suggests that Government’s response and instructions to its exponents in light of this report is to simply play it dumb, deviate, generalise, dismiss, and question the validity of all its critics. Sound familiar?
This is the game that Government instigated with the assassinated Daphne Caruana Galizia, by demonising, ridiculing and ultimately dismissing the work of the only journalist who stood up to it and revealed the endless cases of corruption it was drowning in.
Take Owen Bonnici, for example. Interviewed by a local newspaper a few weeks ago, Bonnici dismissed the serious allegations which he in his remit as Justice Minister should at least look busy tackling as “their opinion” and said that one has to “hear both sides of the story”. The problem for Owen Bonnici however is that one side is offering facts and concrete measures to fix our broken system, whilst the other side remains persistent it its ways, and has brazenly informed everyone that it will not change how it operates as this method suits it perfectly.
Moreover, it would befit the Minister of Justice to know how the FIAU and the police force operate. Bonnici told the newspaper that the FIAU transmits its reports and findings to the police, wherein “those findings would contain information - not evidence”. This is of course supremely incorrect, as FIAU reports are backed up by evidence, evidence which is even annexed at the end of every report.
This attitude is of course instilled by Joseph Muscat himself. After months of turning down interviews with all media houses in Malta, last week Joseph Muscat went to his comfort zone and sat down with TVM who asked him what action would be taken on Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri.
Incredulously, Muscat said that this topic was closed as both individuals had apparently paid for their mistakes. The only consequences felt by both these well-protected allies of Muscat was a Ministerial promotion for Mizzi and more leeway for Schembri to improve his private business, through convenient governmental projects authorised by the Office of the Prime Minister itself.
Muscat cannot be bothered with the harsh truth that his actions have ruined our legal, investigative and judicial system, not to mention the reputation that took years to build. This is quite evident in the government response issued in relation to the MEP delegation report, which came up with the most pathetic and shocking answers to the serious concerns raised.
After months of excuses as to why no one was arraigned in court following the FIAU report which the police sat on for almost two years, Muscat told the MEP delegation that the reason why no action was taken by the police was because “any investigation would have clearly been a waste of time”.
More questions than answers? Unfortunately it seems that the situation is one of more questions, one answer. That answer is a clear message of nonchalance. The writing is on the wall, but Muscat is too busy burying his head in the sand to care.
David Casa is head of the PN’s EP delegation.