Malta "deserves to have a better name internationally", Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said today while attending an online summit for the European People's Party (EPP).

Grech attended the summit on Thursday afternoon, where, according to a press release, he discussed "all the developments that occurred in our country throughout the last years and the rule of law".

He also spoke of Malta's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccination program, where he explained that "over the past few days, the number of infected persons is decreasing". Despite being in a partial lockdown, he said that the Maltese are "staying vigilant" and that the authorities are encouraging the Maltese to "make sacrifices" to curb the spread of the pandemic.

Lastly, Grech invoked the attendees of the summit to unite forces and work together as state members of the European Union because "[they] are not states against another but one European Union and [they] need to continue working together in the same direction."

Grech has called for Malta to repair its reputation following the tumultuous stream of news that has emerged in the past weeks, including Keith Schembri and 10 others being charged with money laundering and corruption; brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio requesting a pardon in return for naming a former minister who was a "mastermind" in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia; and Vince Muscat saying that an unnamed sitting minister was involved in "big job" with former minister Chris Cardona.

In a brief address last Tuesday, Grech urged Prime Minister Robert Abela to be transparent with the general public and "explain what he has done since he found out about the allegations".

Grech said that Malta's reputation is being tarnished irreparably. "This is another episode that confirms that our country needs to turn a new page and close, once and for all, this horrible chapter of the Labour government", he said.