[WATCH] Muscat turns Safi drug case on Gonzi: ‘PM knew about it but did nothing’
Labour leader Joseph Muscat says deputy leader Toni Abela “shouldered his responsibility” but replied to questions calling for Abela’s resignation by turning the tables onto the Prime Minister.
25 February 2013, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
Labour leader Joseph Muscat poses for a photo with Island Sanctuary volunteers. (Photo: Ray Attard/MediaToday)
Labour leader Joseph Muscat today said that deputy leader Toni Abela had "shouldered the responsibility" for what happened at the PL club in Safi, while adding that the case "could have been handled better".
Addressing the press following a visit to the Island Sanctuary in Delimara, Muscat said that he had nothing else to add about the Safi drug case, despite the Prime Minister's call for the Labour leader to withdraw from the election race.
During an interview with The Sunday Times, Muscat said that if Abela had been contesting the elections, he would have asked him to withdraw his candidature. But pressed by the media whether Muscat had refused to ask him to resign from his party role because it would also reflect an admission of wrongdoing on his behalf, Muscat turned the tables by asking why the Prime Minister never reported the case to the police.
"The Prime Minister was aware of the case since September and yet, even though he is also the minister responsible of home affairs, he chose to use this case for partisan matters. I think it's the Prime Minister's turn to explain why he did so," Muscat said.
The Labour leader however insisted that Toni Abela had shouldered his responsibility. Asked why Abela was still deputy leader if had indeed shouldered his responsibility, Muscat replied: "Yes [he is still there] just like Tonio Fench and other people."
Muscat also appealed for a "positive campaign", as most people, he said, were now "fed up".
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Iz-zibel li jarmi il-PL qed jigbru il PN. Jekk xi hadd babas fid-drog, mhu xejn hlief zibel. Insaqsi, ghalhekk certu barman mar jigri ghand il-PN?
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of course since Gonzi knew of this case and did nothing then he was an accomplice to the case. The fact that as Minister for Internal Affairs he hid this case until it was opportune for him, when he had the Duty to get the police to investigate immediately, then the culpability is much higher according to Law - and as Gonzi is also a lawyer, then he should know the Law better than Joseph Muscat. Hiding a criminal offence is tantamount to aiding and abetting the crime and is a criminal offence per se.
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The barman now has a job at materdei, thats how GonziPN works. Not interested who mad the ilegality but what can he achieve for the sake of the campaign just to deviate from the biggest scandal in the history of Malta,the oil scandal.Lets remeber why the PN didn't want to change to gas. Now we know why!
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Ghallinqas l-PL keccieh lil dak l- barman ta l-affari tieghu: GonziPN gabru mieghu, zammu sentejn minghajr obbligu li jmur ghand il-Pulizija; ghadu jiddefendih biex minghalih jiskorja xi political points? Mela sew, jettijiet ghal loghob OK, kuntratturi jirrangaw id-dar tal-Ministru OK; arloggi ok;secret Swiss accounts ok, GonziPN jissellef minghand l-kuntrattur li l-aktar ha kuntrtti minghandu Ok: mela spiccajna bla valuri? Kollox mh xejn?
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MR GONZI SHAME ON YOU ..WITH RESPECT ..EVEN IN PRISON WE AHVE DRUGS ..SO SHUT YOUR MOUTH ..WHAT U PRETEND THAT IN YOUR LOCALS PN CLUBS U DONT HAVE DRUGS ?? WE DONT WANT HESE STORIE S..WE NEED NEWS ABOUT WHO STOLE OUR COUNTRY, HIGH DEBTS, HIGH CONTRACTS TO FRIENDS ,OIL SCANDAL,TRANSPORT DISASTER, ENEMALTA OIL SCANDAL,BWSC, HEALTH DEPT IN CRISIS,AIRMALTA, NO JOBS ...LOADS OF MPS RESIGNS , AGAINST THE DIVORCE AND WILL OF PEOPLE ETC....THATS THE DRUGS GONZI
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Yes Gonz! That's right! Tables turned, eh? Any straight answers? Although, I wouldn't bet my last dollar on that happening!
Fabian Psaila •
Mhux talli KOMPLICI bil kejl tieghu stess Lawrence Gonzi..... imma uza il"Barman tal-Blokka" ghal skopijiet PartigaNi.... altru milli keccieh kif ghamel Dr. Toni Abela billi ma kienx hemm provi!
Ghad ma hemmx PRESKRIZZJONI xinhu jzomm il Prim Ministru Gonzi milli jiprogedi u jmexxi il-kaz !
Ghadu in time biex il-Barman tal-Blokka JEHEL GHOMRU IL-HABS! Issa jekk hu kapaci Gonzi Clouseau iggib il-provi!
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A very strange thing is happening. whilst MaltaToday regularly publishes its electoral surveys the TIMES of Malta seems to have stopped publishing its survey results! Very strange indeed! Or else the Times survey results could be worst for the PN than those published by MaltaToday!
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When PM Gonzi is asked questions by the media he dishes into his official car without replying to the media. Joe Muscat is not under obigation to reply to such stupid questions and he should focus on the roadmap which what matters to those 60,000 and 80,000 persons that are on the verge of poverty. Our local media stops short of asking AG to publish the statement of account of the swiss bank account which is of public interest when we have heard that oil commissions were settling in other swiss bank accounts.
It is a well known fact that some persons take shelter in political clubs to trade in drugs but there has never been any cover ups by the leadership of any party and this applies to PN and PL. So cut the yelling.
