“We have waited patiently to see what the Prime Minister’s reaction would be to the reports about Minister’s Mugliett’s intervention to put pressure on an autonomous authority to reinstate two public officials found guilty of corruption. The Prime Minister’s silence about this affair has been totally unacceptable and clearly shows that the Nationalist government is rapidly losing its moral compass with regard to delivering accountable and transparent governance We have now learned from today’s newspapers that the Prime Minister has refused Minister Mugliett’s offer of resignation and taken on the burden of responsibility for this public scandal,” Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo said yesterday.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Vassallo said that AD had been campaigning ever since its formation 18 years ago for concrete measures to combat corruption. Most notably, AD has proposed a number of concrete measures and policies which include:
• The enactment of a strong and effective Whistleblower Act which effectively defends honest and courageous public officials who disclose cases of corruption;
• The introduction of legislation to regulate the financing of political parties;
• Greater powers to magistrates to independently investigate allegations of corruption.
Dr Vassallo said that AD had always believed in the importance of developing a healthy democratic climate in which politicians were accountable for their actions.
He said that Malta had a long way to go to develop a culture where ministers and other public officials are held accountable for their actions and are expected to resign when they are involved in serious cases of corruption and abuse of power.
“Malta’s partisan, two-party system has repeatedly shown that it is structurally prone to covering up cases of corruption.
Malta’s recent political history has shown that, due to their fear of giving political advantage to their opponent, parties in government have repeatedly refused to take action about cases of corruption and abuse of power involving government ministers.
“A change to our political system, including the possibility of coalition governments, would mean that a party in government would be held accountable by another party in government which would have no interest in partisan mud-slinging but which would act as a watchdog for accountability and transparency in government,” continued Dr Vassallo.
When referring to the present spate of cases of corruption presently making headlines, Dr Vassallo said that the time has come for the government to make a concrete gesture to show in a clear and unequivocal manner that it is serious when it preaches about accountability and transparency.
He said that the majority of decent, law-abiding citizens are dismayed by the perception that corruption is widespread and even more dismayed by the even more widespread perception that government ministers are ready to cover up this corruption.
When referring in particular to the case involving Minister Mugliett, Dr Vassallo said that it seems very clear that a government minister acted in a totally inappropriate manner by putting pressure on the Public Transport Authority to reinstate two public officials found guilty of corruption, particularly when one of these officials was his canvasser.
“This attitude is a slap in the face to all those public officials who are working to stamp out corruption in this case as well as in other sectors of public life.
Furthermore, Minister Mugliett’s attitude is a sharp blow to the majority of public officials who work in a serious and honest manner and who feel ridiculed by this type of attitude,” continued Dr Vassallo.
Government replies to AD
In a counter-statement issued yesterday, the government said that AD should not not engage in the same game that is being played by the Labour Opposition – which has no limits on what it is ready to do to gain political advantage – even if this undermines the strong effort being made by the government to strengthen public administration.
The government said that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has already announced that a Bill on freedom of expression will soon be published.
This should serve as another important tool to strengthen democracy and public administration.
After measures were introduced to defend those who report misconduct (whistleblowing) in the Criminal Code, the law on industrial and employment relations, as well as a Bill that is being presently discussed in Parliament, the government is going to bring together all these provisions and others under one Act.
In this context, the government is open to suggestions on how public administration can be strengthened.
Regarding the Maltese Transport Authority, the government said that Minister Mugliett neither defended corruption nor those who committed it.
This evidenced by the fact that the employees in question were investigated by the police, taken to court, found guilty, denied a presidential pardon and sacked from the authority.