Busuttil warns of government ‘purge’ as FIAU officials sacked

The recent sacking of two officials at Malta’s Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) proves that Joseph Muscat is intent on purging all his critics from state institutions and authorities, PN leader Simon Busuttil has warned.

Speaking on Radio 101, the outgoing PN leader said that the dismissal of accountant Charles Cronin and former police inspector Jonathan Ferris has sent a warning sign to all critical voices within the government.

“Muscat is sending a message that government employees must behave as he wants them to, and that he is ready to purge anyone who is doing their job properly,” he said. “It is now official that Malta’s authorities have stopped functioning and that the law isn’t equal for everyone.”

Busuttil once again urged his eventual successor to continue fighting government corruption, arguing that Labour’s election victory should not absolve it of its crimes.

He pledged that he will personally continue this fight, even after a new PN leader is appointed, “until justice prevails in this country”.

Busuttil added that the country’s last hope that justice will prevail now lies in the hands of the judiciary and of the three magistrates who are investigating allegations that the Prime Minister’s wife owns an offshore company and that his chief of staff Keith Schembri had received kickbacks.

“The magistrates are the only people investigating government corruption, and they have the proof in their hands that I had personally given them,” he said.

PN to propose amendment to Marriage Equality Bill 

During his radio intervention, Busuttil also announced that the PN will propose an amendment to the Marriage Equality Bill that is currently being discussed in Parliament.

He said that while PN MPs should vote in favour of the Bill out of respect for the party’s election manifesto, he criticised parts of the terminology in the Bill.  

These concern the proposals to abolish the terms ‘mother’, ‘father’, ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ from Maltese law in favour of the more neutral terms ‘parent’ and ‘spouse’.

The PN will therefore be proposing an amendment to maintain the words ‘mother’ and ‘father’ in the law, but add to them the word ‘parent’ to cater for LGBT+ people.

“As usual, instead of trying to unite MPs, the Labour government is trying to divide us by proposing the abolishment of terms such as ‘mother’ and ‘father,” he said. “If Muscat is serious about achieving national unity, then he will take the PN’s proposed amendment on board.”

Joseph Muscat said earlier today that he will not accept any amendments to the Marriage Equality Bill that will in any way distinguish LGBT+ people from heterosexual ones.