When the facts are known to everyone, following the conclusion of the 17Black inquiry, decisions will be taken, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in a political activity, in Rabat, on Sunday morning. 

Speaking about the embattled chief of staff at the Office of the Prime Minister, Muscat explained what happened in court last week. He said that a libel case, instituted by Keith Schembri against Simon Busuttil ensued.

The magistrate that had originally presided over the case became a judge and was replaced by another magistrate. The new magistrate pointed out that he had been a lawyer for one of Schembri's company, Muscat said.

Schembri's lawyer pointed out that there will be a situation whereby his client would win, because Busuttil had no proof, but an appeal would ensue and the conflict of interest could be the basis of the appeal, Muscat continued. 

Busuttil, who had continuously attacked the appointment of recent judicial members, Muscat said, had no problem in this case with the presiding magistrate. Busuttil is in the process of taking a case to the European Human Rights Court, about the appointment of judicial members, including this same magistrate, Muscat pointed out. 

"The inconsistency lies in the fact that one week he is saying that he has faith in this magistrate and the following week he is saying he does not," Muscat continues. 

The magistrate decided not to recuse himself, the Prime Minister said, and when Schembri was asked to testify, he said he had already provided his testimony in the inquiry and, because of a sentence provided in the superior court, Schembri could not answer questions in an open court, as this would prejudice the inquiry.

"It is not true he did not want to answer the questions," Muscat said, "he had already answered them in the inquiry."

The Prime Minister questioned what was more important: for the libel case to move forward, or the inquiry? He said he agreed with Schembri's reasoning that the inquiry was more important.  

He continued that he hoped the inquiry would not take long to be concluded, and decided, so everyone could know the facts. "I did not come here today to criticise the courts - I do not attack them when I do not like a decision and praise them when I do. My job is to defend the institutions at all times." Muscat added that in the coming weeks he will be ensuring that the institutions are able to do their job.

Speaking about his meeting with the Caruana Galizia family, Muscat said that although he does not agree with them on most things, he wanted to sit down with them as the state too wanted the truth to emerge.

After weeks of negotiations, the Prime Minister said that compromise was reached with the family. It was not about giving in or not, but about common sense so as the facts can be known. 

Again mentioning the institutions, Muscat said that as a party, they wanted to establish themselves by safeguarding them. He insisted that the institutions are working and it was not about one person or the other at the helm. "No one works with impunity," he added. 

"Decisions, as hard as they, are always taken. This is the job I have been entrusted with. I have always taken them and I will keep on taking them."

Comparing the opposition with last week's weather, the Prime Minister said that it was confused and depending on the weather, the opposition's stance changes.

Before last week's storm, Muscat said, the opposition was against the Gozo tunnel but during the storm, they were in favour of it. After the storm had passed, they were once again against it. "With all our defects, at least with us, you know where you stand. We were always in favour of the tunnel."

He continued to say that the government is not directed by what people want to hear, but on the contrary, it must convince people of what it believes in.

A discussion recently ensued in parliament about the equality law, the Prime Minister said, rhetorically asking what the issue could be with such a law, he called a "no-brainer". He said that the position of the opposition, on this bill, was still not known but subliminal actions show what a person is thinking.

He said that in today's PN newspaper an article is written attacking two girls because they entered the PL LEAD program. Muscat said they were attacked personally, and accused the PN of machoism. 

Muscat said that these girls were singled out, and for the opposition, equality was only for appearance's sake, as they are discouraging these girls from entering public life. "This is why they do not what to tell us what the think about the equality law," he noted.