Repubblika has again called for Commissioner of Voluntary Organisations to withdraw his conclusions regarding Repubblika, and will only then sit down with him for a discussion.

Repubblika was accused of breaching NGO law through “instigating political propaganda” by the Commissioner of Voluntary Organisations Anthony Abela Medici. Repubblika, after receiving the letter from the Commissioner, said that this was an attempt to silence it and that it was the Prime Minister who was behind the Commissioner’s ‘threats’.

On Monday, in response, Abela Medici said he always acted autonomously, denied the allegations and invited Repubblika to discuss this issue.

Repubblika, in their response letter to the Commissioner, said that they were “wrongly charged with overspending, financial impropriety and, worst of all, with including in its committee members who have publically expressed opinions you found incompatible with our status as a voluntary organisation.”

“We are convinced, however, that if you have also told other NGOs that they must shut down because they have expressed opinions that are critical of the government and they have complied and fallen into silence, the erosion of democracy in this country is far more advanced than was at first apparent from your gross attempt to silence us,” Repubblika said.

Repubblika said that it is difficult to believe that the Commissioner has acted independently. “We do not quite understand why we’re expected to believe you when you refuse to allow for the possibility that we are also capable of acting without instructions from external political masters,” the letter read.

“Taken at face value, your statement tells us that you are solely and exclusively responsible for this outrage and we will hold you such if you do not withdraw your false accusations against us.”

Repubblika said that it will not solicit or entertain any discussions with the Commissioner ”until such time as your baseless and illegal charges of improper administration of our funds and of being a political organisation that disqualifies us from the right to associate and organise ourselves as a voluntary organisation are withdrawn without reservation.”

“We will protect Repubblika, its members, and all activists in any and all civil society organisations from this blatant abuse, and you may wish to take note of the position we have stated to the prime minister, that Repubblika is here to stay,” the letter concluded.