The day after Prime Minister Robert Abela eliminated the right for citizens to request a magisterial inquiry, the country came to know that he also wants to remove citizens' right to seek an investigation into the ethical behaviour of his ministers and other people in the public service, Repubblika said Friday.

In his letter to the Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi (photo), Abela said that he wants to change the law to punish people who seek what Abela termed as frivolous investigations. Repubblika noted and appreciated the commissioner's reply that such a move would reduce rights enjoyed by citizens under the law.

Yet we know that when the PM dreams of removing citizens' rights he will not be stopped, and in four months the rights to request magisterial inquiries was removed, the NGO said.

What the PM is doing is protect himself and his colleagues from their wrongdoings, it added.

The NGO recalled that Abela has already tinkered with the law to change the way the commissioner is appointed, so as to nominate the person he wants. Unfortunately for him, the commissioner he appointed wants to defend the law, ethics and citizens, and was not afraid to face Abela's threats. This courage deserves respect and appreciation of honest citizens, Repubblika said.

Now that Abela has declared that he will again abuse of the parliamentary majority for his benefit and that of his colleagues, Repubblika lamented that no-one from the government side is ready to challenge Abela as he seeks to eliminate democracy.