The slogan used by the Labour Party in its run up to the 2017 election – ‘L-aqwa zmien’ (the best of times) – was shunned this morning as Education Minister Evarist Bartolo spoke of a country that is passing through “very difficult times”.

Bartolo has taken to Facebook several times these past few days to share his opinion on what is happening in the country, events that have led to the resignation of Minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, together with the auto-suspension of Minister Chris Cardona.

This morning, Bartolo said that the country is passing through difficult times, and that if we love Malta we should strive to come out of the crisis as a better nation.

It is not to time to be hot-headed and spread hatred, and be violent towards each other. Protests are essential in a democracy, but they should be civilised and democratic as it is easy to light up a flame, but how ill it then be put out, he wrote.

The police and the courts of law should do their duty for justice to be carried out. In the meantime, we should take care of our country and continue creating wealth and employment for our families and those in most need.

On Tuesday, Bartolo said that both Minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri should leave to save the Labour Party.

In other posts on Facebook in the past days, Bartolo said that the country will be worse off if it protects murderers and money launderers and that the country needs to know all the facts related to the murder.