Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg together with Justice minister Jonathan Attard are complicit in covering up the Pilatus bank scandal, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Sunday.
In an interview with Andrew Azzopardi, Angelo Gafa put all the blame on the Attorney General, Grech said. Gafa had said during the interview that it is the Attorney General's office that decides when it comes to financial crimes prosecutions.
It was also reported on Sunday, by MaltaToday, that at least two former Pilatus Bank officials will not be prosecuted despite a magistrate's order, after Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg issued a nolle prosequi, and that this could be part of a deal requiring the two officials to testify against other high profile bank officials.
Grech, speaking on Sunday, said that the justice minister is refusing to shed light in parliament on this Nolle Prosequi together with others taken by the attorney general along the years.
"The Attorney General cannot continue to hide" he said
The PN is urging the attorney general to provide details about the null prosequi "since she is so certain about her decision". Additionally the names of the two people who have been spared court should also be made public, "as its in the interest of the nation," Grech added.
The PN leader said that Justice minister Jonathan Attard should do more work other than just ensuring certain people are kept in positions in order to keep things hidden.
National orchestra scandal
Turning to the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra scandal, the PN Leader said that the country cannot accept any form of oppression or abuse.
Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici should resign, he said "and if this doesn't happen, it shall fall in the hands of the Prime Minister, and he must then take the necessary steps."
Last week a senior official at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra - whose name cannot be published due to court order - was placed under a restraining order and given a suspended sentence, after admitting to having sexually harassed a young female orchestra musician who had resigned. Malta Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Sigmund Mifsud was then, on Saturday, charged with tampering with evidence after he allegedly instructed MPO employees to keep quiet on the sexual harassment scandal.
Grech said he is against all types of abuse, as someone who holds a higher position should not take advantage of someone "who has a little less power than them"
Grech said that Owen Bonnici was worried because when the story came out "instead of taken the necessary steps to prevent this, he spoke to media after it was leaked." The PN leader said that Bonnici tried to control the story by calling a particular newsroom, as it was more of interest to him.
He said that today it was revealed that the minister knew about everything, "hence we ask the minister why didn't you go to the police since you knew about everything? And will the police be taking steps against the minister to seek why he didn't take the necessary steps?"
We cannot accept any type of oppression or abuse, Owen Bonnici should resign and if this doesn't happen it should fall in the hands of the PM and he must then take the necessary steps.
Earlier in the day, responding to a similair statement made by another member of the PN, Bonnici had denied trying to hide anything, saying that he had informed the Commissioner against gender violence about the allegations that had reached him verbally.
Speaking about the budget, Grech said the budget was supposed to be so big, yet millions had to be spent on advertising.
"This is a government that needs to spend millions," taken from taxes, so it can use its propaganda "to convince you it is doing a good job".
"This country had endemic problems, which the government has a clear problem in solving", Grech said, and that is why he took the budget speech opportunity to remind that "those who are stuck in traffic are still stuck"
Grech said that during his two hour speech, the Prime Minister has shown how he is in denial over what is happening is happening and "spent all the time attacking the us (the PN)" instead of mentioning how he is going to solve the traffic problems amongst others.
Grech also said that what the PM forgot to mention is that the government is going into debt by another one billion euros in order to sustain the budget.
He said that speaking about the agricultural sector puts the government in a very uncomfortable position, "but not the PN".
"It is important that we invest in food and water security...these basics cannot be taken for granted."
The government is pushing a bill that is supposed to help them, yet the PN has realised that this is not doing so through ongoing consultation with farmers.
He said that the PN will be proposing amendments, with which the agricultural sector is going to be safeguarded
Amongst proposed amendments to be presented, the PN wants government to provide a scheme to financially support farmers who are going to have a higher agricultural land rent, among other things.
Turning to water and electricity bills, he said that what he cannot understand is how the government has admitted to theft for the past 9 years, yet it is not willing to give it all back.
"This is the justice this government is serving. Is this how you treat the Maltese and Gozitans?"