Since I have been Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, I have travelled extensively. Part of my job and that of Malta’s network of ambassadors and high commissioners is to promote our country overseas, and to speak to the international media. We do this gladly. Proudly telling all who ask about our country’s successes, from civil liberties to Blockchain, and the plentiful trade opportunities. And this is reported by many news sources, from the UK to India.

However, during this past year, questions have regularly arisen on whether the Prime Minister and his wife had anything to do with Egrant – we of course answered they did not. And diplomatic business carried on regardless: we visited countries, their ministers visited us. If governments believed the falsities, they would not have visited, let alone do business with us. And that never stopped. But the point is, we should not have had to waste time addressing doubts which mushroomed from people spreading lies. At least now, after over a year of anxiety for the Prime Minister, his family, and the whole government, justice has prevailed. We have unequivocal proof.

The truth is this was a frame-up, a conspiracy to destabilise a whole country without care of the risk to our international reputation. This is a very serious matter. Luckily it did not happen, because mud does not stick when those throwing it do not have a consistent or true story. And those of us in the foreign and trade policy field continued to address this accusation with facts – the statistics told another story. The true story.

We still have to continue working to dissolve any damaging impact which could have resulted from the unfounded negative reports. Those responsible clearly do not love their country. They intentionally created this calumny knowing that, apart from foreign trade and investment potentially being lost, so many local jobs and livelihoods of hardworking decent people could have been lost too. They did not care about the Maltese population. They just wanted power for the sake of it. At any cost.  Only benefiting them.

The international media have been reporting the inquiry findings, rubbishing the fake news, false documentation, and conjectures published earlier. Journalists and bloggers are an important pillar of our democracy, with a crucial role of scrutinizing authorities. But I am sorry to say that those who fail to adhere to the basic ethics, that is verifying the truth and sources of information before publishing the story, are simply discredited.

The credibility of Simon Busuttil has also been heavily dented – but the electorate has already showed its lack of trust in him, with the landslide loss for the PN at the last general election. It is indeed mind boggling to see how he has not been deterred from continuing in his Don Quixote crusade against other supposedly corrupt practices, continuing to investigate more fake news originating from the same sources.

The findings have also discredited the utterances of the PN, its MEPs, and other MEPs who were quick to jump on the bandwagon and claim problems with Malta’s Rule of Law. The situation they tried to portray simply does not exist. That is now proven. And the conspirators will now have to face the consequences of their actions. Not just their own consciences, which must be hard enough, but hopefully the forgers of the documents, once identified, will be prosecuted with respect to the rule of law.

The question the public is left asking is who was behind this conspiracy? And what other lies have been plotted? But I believe the truth always prevails, so we will find that out too. And then? Will the perpetrators apologise? Will their supporters condemn the dishonest manipulation of these barefaced lies and criminal acts? Will the Opposition get rid of the dishonest elements from within?

What we all do know is that they tried to ruin Malta’s international reputation. But they failed. Yet they succeeded in ruining theirs. And Joseph Muscat, his wife, and two young daughters have been through a horrendous time. For no reason. And I appeal to not just our population, but also the Maltese living abroad, and all the international community, including the media, to acknowledge these malicious attempts to usurp power at all costs.

But we will not be reacting in a nasty way. We do not need to. There is no greater reply than the one which will be served by our electorate at the polls. While the few politically-desperate individuals spread lies, the rest of us can unite as a country against their crimes for the good of Malta. And once we get past this shameful incident, we will move forward together.

Carmelo Abela, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion