[WATCH] ‘Muscat has silenced the Church’ - Simon Busuttil interviewed

The Catholic Church is living in fear of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, according to Opposition leader Simon Busuttil.

In an interview with MaltaToday, the PN leader explains his party’s decision to abstain in the all-important civil unions bill earlier this week.

READ THE INTERVIEW on MaltaToday's digital edition

He attributes the local Catholic Church’s silence on the law, which was previously described by Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna as “illogical” and “deceptive”, to Muscat’s ability to neutralise his opponents in civil society.

“I am very worried by the fact that society on a whole, including those who backed or opposed the bill, remained silent, too silent. I attribute this to Labour’s victory last year, and given the large majority it obtained, everybody believes that Joseph Muscat has a licence to do as he pleases. But that’s far from true; democracy does not function in that way. It is wrong to allow government bully society, including the church into silence over such matters.”

Busuttil added that the silence threatened the country’s democracy.
“The church did not say much, despite having a clear position which is known by all. There’s something missing in our democracy. Something is undermining democracy and I attribute this to government’s attitude and way of doing politics, especially the Prime Minister, who neutralises whoever does not agree with him.”