Prime Minister Robert Abela did not say whether the government's defence of Keith Schembri up until the latter's resignation as the former Prime Minister's Chief of Staff back in 2019 was in the national interest, saying: "I can only answer for what I did".

Prime Minister Robert Abela was being questioned by four journalists on One TV on Sunday, a day after former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri was charged in court with money laundering, corruption and forgery. Schembri was one of 11 people arraigned. The 11 were arraigned in connection with a recently concluded magisterial inquiry in connection to allegations surrounding Schembri and former Allied Newspaper managing director Adrian Hillman and another magisterial inquiry.

The first question put to Abela was for the government's reaction to the latest court arraignments. He said that it shows that the institutions are working independently and are not looking at faces.

He spoke about the government having worked to strengthen the institutions, and said that the government truly believes in the rule of law. He criticised the Opposition for praising the institutions when it suits them, and then creating doubts about the institutions when it does not agree with them. He also spoke about having strengthened the institutions over the past months, including changes seen in the police force, changes in the appointment mechanism for the judiciary, among others.

Abela was asked by The Malta Independent's Online Coordinator Albert Galea (who was one of the four journalists asking questions to him) whether he believes he needs to excuse himself for the government having defended Schembri for so many years, now that Schembri has been accused of money laundering and corruption. He was also asked about Vince Muscat's allegations that a sitting minister was involved in a "big job," and why he felt he did not have to speak to his ministers about this.

The Prime Minister said that what he did consistently in his political career is known, "both when I was a Cabinet consultant and MP, and even now as Prime Minister. I am determined to see that justice be done, and I say this honestly and sincerely" he said. "That is what my conscience demands and that is what I will keep on doing."

He mentioned certain presidential pardons given in the distant past which he indicated his disagreement on, as examples of bad good governance issues, highlighting a bad good governance culture that had been around since the 90s. He said that a Prime Minister and Cabinet in the 90s gave a Presidential pardon to a drug trafficker who was found guilty in court.

"Cabinet back then overturned a court sentence and that trafficker was even allowed that person to travel abroad. Those are the standards of good governance this government had inherited... We all know the result of that pardon, that the courts did not believe in the benefit of it."

"Imagine if a Labour government had used that measuring stick on deciding on presidential pardons." He spoke about Zepp il-Hafi, and said that a PN government had given him a presidential pardon for every crime. "These are the standards?" 

"Cabinet is there to decide in the national interest and that is the main category we use, both in how we decide on Presidential pardons and also on every other decision."

"I don't look at faces, if a decision needs to be taken, then it will be taken, no matter how hard it is."

Abela said that he does not want the mistakes in the 90s, 2000s and the mistakes over the past eight years to be repeated. He spoke about wanting the people behind him to continue with the good that was done over the past eight years, mentioning changes in pensions as an example. "Where mistakes were made, we must ensure that they are not repeated."

"Back to your question, Let us not politicise the situation. We want justice. Let us send a consistent message of support to the authorities, that we want them to continue working for there to be justice. Let us send a strong message, that we have faith in the police. Let us send a message of support to the courts to work expediently without looking at faces and for justice to be done."

As for Vince Muscat's statement in court, that a sitting minister was allegedly involved in a 'big job', Abela said: "This was mentioned last November where a PN MP made the allegation on a radio programme. Then everyone knows he started backtracking. Last week, incidentally the same MP (Jason Azzopardi) wore his lawyer's hat and began questioning Muscat, who mentioned the same allegation that Azzoaprdi had made in November. I ask you all, what was the logical question everyone expected to be asked after Muscat mentioned that? The follow up question, who Muscat was referring to, was not asked."

Abela called this "an evident strategy, where someone tries to use a judicial process to reach a political aim." He said that the government is showing that it believes in justice, but "others are playing these games," referring to the PN.

Abela said he asked the Police Commissioner to establish who Muscat was referring to. "The police asked Muscat and the witness refused to reveal the name. If the witness mentions who the minister is who was allegedly involved in a big job, then I would be in a position to regulate my decision."

"If Azzopardi knows of the minister then he should name him. If the witness knows who it is and what the allegation is, then he should say who it is and what the alleged involvement is. I will not hold back from taking decisions, but I also cannot take decisions on the basis of these manoeuvres. I am not ready to accept these kind of manoeuvres."

PN MP Jason Azzopardi later in the day responded to the allegations by the PM and said that Robert Abela lied about him. "It is not true that I urged Kohhu to mention the case of the minister. Kohhu himself said it last November." Azzopardi was here referencing a judicial protest that had been filed by Vince Muscat last November who had said that a cabinet member had a direct conflict of interest in his Presidential Pardon application at the time.

Asked by this newsroom if it was in the national interest for the government to have kept defending Keith Schembri, despite all the allegations that surrounded him until he resigned in 2019, the Prime Minister said: "I can only answer for what I did."

Abela was asked about the doubts Schembri shed on the Magisterial inquiry that led to his eventual charge, which Schembri called a 'plot from the PN establishment'.  He was also asked for his message to labourites who still see Schembri as an integral part of the PL.

Abela said he defends the institutions, has complete trust in them and will let nobody, no matter who they are, undermine their integrity. He also said he has complete trust in the inquiring magistrate.

The Prime Minister said that Schembri is not a member of the Labour Party under him. He said that Schembri has all the right to defend himself in his case.