If Edward Scicluna has any speck of dignity remaining, then he must resign, said Repubblika President Vicki Ann Cremona as she addressed the media outside the Central Bank of Malta in Valletta on Monday.

This comment was immediately met with chants of “Now, now, now!” by the present spectators, all calling for the resignation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Malta. Last week, a court decreed that enough evidence existed for Scicluna to be indicted following the conclusion of a magisterual inquiry into the hospitals deal, now rescinded, which had seen the transfer of three public hospitals to be run by private companies.

“We are here to request that Edward Scicluna makes the only dignified position that he can make, to resign,” Cremona said.

The President of Repubblika continued that time will show if Scicluna is guilty or not, but his sense of duty towards his country should tell him that he must resign. “So do what is needed in these circumstances you find yourself in and resign without delay,” she said.

Cremona said that Scicluna is an egoist and that there is a danger of investments ceasing because of him and his actions. She said that there were those in Parliament who tried to oppose the proposal back when former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s Cabinet wanted to make Scicluna Governor. She said that these dissenters had told Muscat that this would mean a lack of investments and a lack of work, but that the former PM went ahead regardless.

The NGO said that Scicluna’s term is set to end in the year 2026, but he should leave now. “Leave now for the good of Malta and the workers who do not have the means that he has.”

Cremona referred to statements Scicluna had made when appearing for a public inquiry, and she said that the Governor had the gall to say that he had no reason to resign over deals like Vitals, with his excuse being that such deals were not negotiated by him. “But he forgot to mention that it was he who permitted millions and millions of the Maltese people’s money to be passed on,” the NGO’s President said.

“Do you know why he didn’t stop them from being given €400 million? In 2020, in front of the Court, Scicluna had the gall to say that if he had spoken out against Konrad Mizzi, he would have had to resign, and he did not want to lose the wage from his position. Now the wage has come in, and he needs to get out.”

The onlooking spectators started chanting “Out! Out! Out!” after Cremona delivered that statement.

The Repubblika President commented that the €400 million to Vitals and Stewart was not the only go-ahead Scicluna had given as Finance Minister, but that he also allowed the people’s money to go to Electrogas, involved in the power station at Delimara.

Cremona continued by commenting that the Governor is not going to die of hunger, as he has at least three pensions to get by on, “and not the minimum pension like many Maltese,” she added. She said Scicluna has a pensions as a former Member of the European Parliament, former government Minister, and his pension as a professor.

She said that she would like to give a reminder that Scicluna had received a package of €200,000 to depart as Minister. She continued that Repubblika hopes that he is not now expecting that he should receive another package to leave once again, as such an act would be unacceptable.

Cremona then recited a letter that Repubblika wrote to the President of the European Central Bank, in which the NGO requested that Scicluna be removed from his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Malta.

In its letter, Repubblika wrote that Scicluna had so far rejected calls for his resignation from the public office which he holds, rebuking these calls by saying that he enjoys immunity as a member of the ECB governing council, and that such immunity dictates that “no government, no opposition, or NGO” can ask for the Governor’s resignation.

Repubblika’s President continued reciting the letter, saying that there is no doubt of the rightful independence of the governing council and its members, but that such independence signifies greater responsibility for accountability, transparency, and a higher standard of ethics.  “These are the underlying principles of your governing council, they should be embraced by every one of your members, including Professor Scicluna.”

Cremona concluded by saying that there is a need for Scicluna to do what is good for the country, “which has given him so much,” and that the need is for him to resign.