The culture of impunity that had led to the events of Black Monday today 40 years ago is once again present in Malta today, as shown by the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the second anniversary of which will be commemorated tomorrow, PN MPs Beppe Fenech Adami and Jason Azzopardi said during their Parliamentary adjournment speeches.
The MPs launched scathing criticism of Joseph Muscat's government, with Fenech Adami saying that the government has failed "in the most absolute manner" to investigate and process those who are corrupt even after they are uncovered and with Azzopardi comparing the Prime Minister to his Labour counter-part from 40 years ago - Dom Mintoff - in that he had created the same culture where corruption is incentivised.
Fenech Adami, whose father, Eddie, was the leader of the Opposition at the time, recalled the day 40 years ago now known as Black Monday, saying that he can clearly remember how he and his siblings and grandmother were chased out of their own home by thugs who ransacked the place. It was the same day that The Times of Malta headquarters was set on fire.
"Fast forward to today; we thought that that impunity would never return. And yet, on the day that we commemorate the 40th anniversary of Black Monday, we are also on the eve of commemorating the anniversary of something else; the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia", Fenech Adami said.
He said that a culture of impunity against her had been created - it was easier to discredit her and attack her than to arrest those she uncovered, he said before noting that there had been a coordinated effort to promote this impunity which then resulted in her assassination.
"Daphne Caruana Galizia paid the ultimate price for this government's impunity", he said.
"We need to leave here with a clear commitment to understand that we should not let this country go back to those very difficult times. I appeal to everyone to understand that if it is not us who resist this government's scandalous culture of impunity, then we are going to have to pay a high price", he said.
Azzopardi meanwhile launched a widespread attack on the government, referring to the Electrogas scandal where, he said, the police had failed to investigate those who are corrupt but was investigating those who had exposed the corruption in a magisterial inquiry which is still ongoing.
"This country does not take steps against corruption, it takes steps against those who uncover the corruption", he said.
He attacked environmental entities such as the Planning Authority and the Environment & Resources Authority, noting that they were shackled and had done nothing to protect the country, while also decrying the public procurement office, referring to the question marks which currently surround the Gozo fast ferry tender.
"That which happened 40 years ago is still happening; just in different forms", Azzopardi said.
"Muscat is like the Prime Minister 40 years ago; he is instilling a culture where corruption is incentivised. He is corrupt; why? Because those who does not fight corruption - are corrupt!", Azzopardi said before noting that Muscat had not done anything to fight corruption.