In order to move forward and "start emerging from this dark tunnel," the government must denounce the corrupt system for the "mafia" that it really is and detach itself completely from its recent past, particularly from former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Fondazione Falcone representative Robert Aquilina told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has repeatedly shown that he "lacks the courage and the will" to distance the current government from Muscat. "It's evident to all that he is captured, and he's no longer even trying to hide it."

The Fondazione Falcone representative and former Repubblika president was asked what he thinks has led to Malta receiving its lowest-ever score in Transparency International's corruption index. Malta ranked 65th in with a score of 46 out of 100, a record-low for the country. This also placed Malta below the EU average of a 64 out of 100 score.

The Malta Independent on Sunday also spoke with Moviment Graffiti's Robert Louis Fenech, who said that there is no doubt the arraignment of Muscat in 2024 contributed to increased perceptions of corruption.

He said that the effects of corruption can be difficult to grasp, but that this was a clear black-on-white case where government wrongdoing had an impact on "that most precious of things", referring to the health system. He added that having a former Prime Minister being charged with bribery and corruption over the case "certainly drove the point home".

Aquilina stated that Malta's record-low ranking "reflects real, systemic corruption exposed through investigative journalism, solid evidence, and ongoing prosecutions". He continued that the same Labour Party which used to attack previous administrations over "much better scores" now dismisses the corruption index as mere perception. He remarked that the facts, however, prove otherwise. "Corruption is deeply embedded in government, and instead of fighting it, the Prime Minister is allowing it to thrive, continuing the culture of impunity started by his predecessor."

The Fondazione Falcone representative commented that Abela and the PL have learned nothing from Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination and public inquiry. He said that instead of strengthening institutions, the government is "waging a witch hunt" against people who do their jobs properly and is also targeting sources who expose corruption. He added that the "so-called reforms" that the government proposes are intended to shield criminals and further entrench corruption.

Aquilina stated that people are seeing through the deception thanks to the efforts of investigative journalists, activists, and civil society. He continued that public awareness is growing and that more citizens now recognise the extent of "state capture". He added that crucially, some of the "most serious corruption cases, such as the fraudulent hospitals deal, only reached prosecution because of legal action we initiated".

"The evidence is undeniable," he said, "and no amount of spin can erase the truth."

Fenech said that another major incident which undoubtedly contributed to an increased feeling of general corruption was the saga involving former Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo and his wife Amanda Muscat. Fenech continued that although the incident was "almost comically small-scale" in comparison to "the complex international scandal related to Vitals", the situation involving Bartolo was "even more offensive to common-sense feelings of what is fair and what is not".

Another factor which has contributed to the increased perception of corruption, Fenech added, is the effect of several high-profile cases related to development. He stated that public land has been sold off at "bargain prices", public agencies have flouted court orders, and promised reforms to the planning appeals system have been left to gather dust. All this, he said, has been "to the benefit of major developers who are known to be close to the political class".

The Moviment Grafitti representative said that 2024 was the year that the consequences of corruption became more tangible, and added that this naturally led to a visceral response from a public that is "fed up with politicians paying lip service to virtue while mired in muck".

Asked how he believes the government should react to the corruption index, Aquilina replied that the government seems to be more focused on protecting the corrupt and their criminal allies rather than addressing the issues highlighted by the index.

He continued that a government truly acting in the public interest would first acknowledge the scale of the problem, and then take decisive action. He remarked that institutions need to be strengthened by appointing people of integrity to them, and added that it needs to be ensured that law enforcement, the judiciary, and financial watchdogs are able to operate independently and with adequate resources.

"The need for urgent reforms is widely acknowledged," he said, "yet even the recommendations from the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry remain ignored by the government."

Aquilina commented that there can be no half-measures against corruption, as he continued that one can either confront corruption head-on or be an accomplice to it. "The current administration not only lacks the political will to change but is actively maintaining impunity. All we get are superficial PR moves and constant attacks on those working for a better, fairer Malta. So, I'm not holding my breath for anything positive to come out from this government," he said.

Replying to the same question, Fenech said that the government can begin by "scrapping its plans to limit citizens' rights to request magisterial inquiries". He continued that the government can instead move to implement long-awaited reforms which strengthen citizens' rights rather than weaken them.

The civil society representatives were also asked if the situation in Malta could perhaps be a symptom of region-wide corruption, considering that the majority of EU nations scored below the EU average in the corruption index.

Aquilina responded by saying that Malta's corruption issues are primarily homegrown and that while other EU countries face their own corruption challenges, Malta's situation is unique due to how corruption became deeply embedded in the government during Muscat's leadership. He continued that this "culture of corruption and impunity" ultimately led to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, which he said underscored the depth of the problem.

He stated that Malta's decline in the corruption rankings is not due to isolated incidents, but rather a systemic failure. "It reflects a government that didn't just tolerate corruption but institutionalised it. It reflects a Police Commissioner who turns a blind eye to corruption, and an Attorney General who hands out pardons instead of prosecuting crimes."

With that in mind, Aquilina remarked that he is not surprised by the dramatic drop in Malta's score when compared to other countries.

Fenech commented that "the hold of dirty money on politics" is increasing, and continued that it is difficult to say where the exact lines can be drawn between the impacts of singularly ambitious and corrupt individuals, local structural issues, and regional phenomena. What is certain, he stated, is that the problem is not confined to Malta.

He said that "attempts to browbeat locals into adhering to some form of 'European' morality or 'Western' Values are therefore utterly misguided". He added that while EU membership has its benefits, including increased scrutiny on the rule of law as well as tools and avenues for legal challenge, "we cannot expect others to solve our problems for us". He said that corruption will continue to plague society both in Malta and abroad as long as people are living in a system where political power is beholden to business interests.

For his part, Aquilina concluded that "it is a bitter truth that the change we fought for in 2019, through our protests and activism, ended up being little more than a change in faces, not in direction". He said that Prime Minister Abela "has failed us" and is "failing future generations".

Aquilina said that Abela is more intent on serving Muscat rather than serving the people of Malta, as the Fondazione Falcone representative commented that the corruption index results are "a stark reminder of this failure".