The Nationalist Party on Saturday condemned the unacceptable comments made by Jason Micallef, Chairman of the Valletta Cultural Agency and Robert Abela's Special Delegate for the implementation of the Labour Party electoral manifesto, who described as "vandalism" banners displayed in Valletta which, among other things, call for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Jason Micallef is not simply a private citizen expressing a personal opinion. He is a public figure, a public official, paid for by taxpayers. He is a person whom Robert Abela continues to trust with public appointments, including as Chairman of the Valletta Cultural Agency, the PN said.
Abela therefore cannot remain silent in the face of these remarks, particularly when only a few days ago he said that he was distancing himself from hateful comments directed at Daphne Caruana Galizia and her family.
In light of this, the Prime Minister must state whether he agrees with Jason Micallef that a banner calling for justice for Daphne amounts to vandalism. He must also tell us whether he agrees with Micallef that these banners should be removed from Valletta, the PN said.
He must also tell us - if he does not agree with Jason Micallef's comments - what action he intends to take against him, particularly since this is not the first time that the former Labour Party General Secretary has made disparaging remarks about journalists and the media.
Jason Micallef's comments are a symptom of a much deeper problem, the PN said. Almost nine years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and five years after a Public Inquiry led by three judges found that the State had created a culture of impunity which enabled the environment in which the assassination took place, there are still people at the heart of the Labour establishment who treat calls for justice as something that should be removed and silenced.
This shows that nothing has been learnt. It shows that the culture of impunity identified by that Inquiry - whose recommendations, five years later, have still not been implemented - remains very much alive.
It is therefore no surprise that Abela continues to drag his feet and resist the full implementation of the recommendations of the Public Inquiry, as he did in recent days when he refused to debate an Opposition Motion calling on the Government to implement the Inquiry's recommendations by the end of October.
A country that has truly learnt from the assassination of a journalist does not attack those who call for justice. A country that genuinely wants to eradicate a culture of impunity is not afraid of the word "justice".
And a Prime Minister who genuinely believes in change does not remain silent when a person entrusted by his Government with public office speaks in this way, the PN said.
Robert Abela must give a clear answer: does he agree or disagree with Jason Micallef? Does he condemn what he said?
And if he does not agree, he must say what he intends to do about a person of trust who chose to attack a public call for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia just days after the verdict was delivered in the trial concerning her assassination.