NGO Repubblika said on Monday that the Whatsapp chats between independent MP Rosianne Cutajar and alleged murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech that had been published reveal abuse of political power, which is in the public's interest to be known.
The NGO was reacting to the recent news where Malta's Data Protection Commissioner ordered author Mark Camilleri to remove the WhatsApp chats between Cutajar and Fenech he had published, giving him three days to comply with the order, or else face an administrative fine.
Camilleri, however, said that he intends to appeal the decision insisting there was public interest in the chats being public.
Repubblika said that those who 'pig out' have no right to hide. It said that it was worried by the Data Protection Commissioner's decision, who is "protecting" what is claimed to be the right to privacy of someone "using their political power to benefit from it, and then lied about how they did so."
"When Camilleri published the information he had, it became known that Cutajar lied about her relationship with Yorgen Fenech when she spoke in his interest in Parliament and the Council of Europe without declaring her relationship with him," Repubblika said.
The NGO said that it also became known that Cutajar received gifts from Fenech before speaking in his interest. "It became known that she received a salary for nothing from a government department because, in her words, 'everyone pigs out,'" Repubblika said.
It continued that it was in the public interest that all this becomes known, even if it embarrasses the individuals involved in the scandal. "It was so much the public's interest that when this became known, Rosianne Cutajar had to resign," the NGO said.
Repubblika said that the Data Commissioner's order is 'comfortable' for Prime Minister Robert Abela, who now says he wants to 'forgive' Cutajar and promote her in politics.
The NGO said that the Commissioner wants to 'burn' records of what Cutajar did so that everyone forgets, and Cutajar can return to glory.
"This is simply unacceptable. Impunity for corruption and abuses has no place in public life, even with the blessing of the Data Protection Commissioner," Repubblika said.