Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said that the government’s magisterial inquiry law which will be debated later on today in Parliament, will continue staining the country’s reputation, which has already been stained after Malta received its worst ever score in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, dropping 10 places in one year.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Grech said that this week, Parliament will have two discussions on two motions – the magisterial inquiry amendment bill presented by Prime Minister Robert Abela, and one by Grech and the Opposition, which is to be discussed in a special sitting reserved for the Opposition this Thursday, addressing the higher cost-of-living.

“Two motions which show the difference between the two parties, between government and opposition. Today we will discuss government’s motion, a bill that Abela is presenting as quickly as possible, a law which controls how inquiries are launched, to protect himself and his government,” Grech said.

He said that the magisterial inquiry bill will make it more difficult for Maltese and Gozitans to request an investigation, and will be reducing citizens’ rights.

“On the other hand, the PN’s motion to be discussed Thursday, when government cannot stop us from discussing it. Through this motion, we will address the peoples’ problems, the high cost of living,” Grech said.

He said that government is focused on itself, while the PN is focused on bettering citizens’ lives, who are feeling the burden of the higher cost of living.

Grech said government is removing citizens’ rights to request an inquiry to protect itself from investigations on corruption, while the PN presented a motion with solutions to issues around the higher cost of living.

“A government which takes from you, while the PN wants to give,” Grech said.

He spoked about the “unfortunate” news that Malta dropped 10 places in the International Corruption Index, receiving its worst ever score.

“This means our country is not being seen as attractive for honest and clean investment and businesses. Our name and reputation is seen as “stained” out there,” Grech said.

He added that the magisterial inquiry law will continue staining the country’s reputation, and government does not care about Malta’s reputation, nor about attracting investment and having a positive economy so that people have a better quality of life.

“With corruption, the citizens pay. While they steal our money, they are putting a bad name to the country, and only concentrate on protecting themselves,” Grech said.

Grech said that it is “scandalous” that the Index confirms and shows how Abela’s government is staining the country’s reputation with institutionalised corruption, and Abela will also weaken the tools by which citizens can fight corruption.

He said that the law also goes against the EU’s laws which encourage countries to increase citizens’ rights, rather than reduce them.

“This law is to take away the citizens’ power, so that Abela can remain tied to power,” Grech said.

He appealed to Maltese citizens who want to see a better country with better rights to stand up against government.

Grech said that the PN voted against the bill at the first reading stage, and will continue voting against it at all stages.

He described government as “stubborn,” and said that rather than listening to the PN and the many NGOs, entities and experts who spoke out against this bill, it attacked them.

Grech said that he believes that the Maltese and Gozitan public wants better, and they must raise their voices to be heard.

“Malta is not Abela’s, nor that of the criminals and corrupt. It is that of Maltese and Gozitan citizens’, and they not only have the right, but also the obligation, to show government that it cannot take away their rights,” Grech said.

 The PN will be addressing the problems and difficulties from the higher cost of living, and Grech said that these are derived from “mistaken decisions” made by a government who is indifferent to the problems the people face.

He said government is contributing to the higher cost of living, and while food, medicine and basic necessities continue to rise in price, the government turns a blind eye.

“The country’s standard of living has been reduced, and we want to better it. We have solutions we gave to government on a plate,” Grech said.

He added that “those who break, cannot be the one to fix, and that is why there is the need for a new government, a PN government.”