Independent MP Marlene Farrugia said this evening that the announcement on Air Malta and the Marsa Maritime Hub were part of a series of attempts by the Prime Minister to deviate attention away from the Panama Papers scandal.

Dr Farrugia said Joseph Muscat was procrastinating instead of taking action against Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri over their Panamanian companies. Instead of acting, he was throwing “toys” at the people, in an attempt to deviate attention away from the scandal.

One of these ‘toys’ was yesterday’s announcement about the Marsa Maritime Hub. “They feel that we should be celebrating this news. But the fact is the PL promised to regenerate the area and will, instead, turn it into an oil rig maintenance site."

A couple of days ago the government denied reports of an Air Malta deal but today it announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (with Alitalia). This was simply another tactic to buy time, until the PM decides what to do with Konrad Mizzi, Dr Farrugia said.

Another ‘gugarell’ was this evening’s event in front of Castille. Dr Farrugia said the government had used the PL’s youth section to pull a “publicity stunt,” but this had backfired when people asked the PM what happened to meritocracy and transparency. “In light of the Panama scandals, anything else that the government does will look ridiculous.”

Dr Farrugia asked what would happen next year, when Malta assumed the presidency of the EU. “Will the PM go do the job with Konrad Mizzi and Keith Mizzi at his side, making us a laughing stock?”

She also referred to Michael Cassar’s resignation from police commissioner. “One resignation is already a tragedy, because it shows that something is not right, but two, three and now four!”

 “We are not comfortable with Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. I do not want people of their quality negotiating in my name. The country should always come before individuals and their personal interests.”

She called on Mizzi and Schembri to resign, relieving the PM of a heavy burden and allowing him to govern properly.

Joseph Muscat, she said, should clean up the PL and the government and make the 1st of May celebration one that the workers of this country truly deserved.