Malta’s institutions and political system merely ‘serving moneyed interests’ – ADPD

The report of the public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia is crystal clear, ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said today in scathing comments at a press conference convened in Valletta, Saturday morning, 

“High-ranking officials in the country's top posts, including the Cabinet of Ministers, bend over backwards to serve moneyed interests instead of the country. They feel that they can get away with anything and that they are above the law.”

“The report also confirmed the inherent weakness of the Maltese state, a state based on the minimum possible trappings of a democracy. We live in an almost dictatorial system where the government and the Prime Minister are akin to kings, who can do whatever they deem fit. We have a rubber-stamp Parliament, which is in fact the servant of the government instead of an institution that regulates and monitors Government.

“In this particular case, the Labour Party and its Members of Parliament have a lot to answer for. They let Joseph Muscat do whatever he wanted, they let him roll out the carpet for big financial interests and lobbies. They let him turn the government and the party into servants of these interests with dire consequences.”

He lashed out at the two main political parties, saying the closeness between ‘PLPN’ and big business is nothing new.

Cacopardo noted, however, that during the speeches in the debate in Parliament on the board of inquiry’s report, not a single MP raised the issue even though it is mentioned clearly in the inquiry report.

“No one mentioned that the inquiry highlighted how big business and capital circumvent laws and policies, and control PLPN and state institutions,” Cacopardo stressed.

He took to task politicians who stood by Joseph Muscat through thick and thin, naming, in particular, Leo Brincat, during the hearing in the European Parliament prior to his appointment as a member of the Court of Auditor, former finance minister Edward Scicluna, now Governor of the Central Bank, and Evarist Bartolo, today Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“They all declared they continued to support Muscat because they cared more about their political career rather than the country. This is the way tribal politics works: suck up to the boss.

“In Malta we have a corrupt system, full of politicians who prefer a pact with the mafia than to work for the common good and do what is right. We also have an expert in tax evasion who today leads the Nationalist Party. This too is impunity, which seems to be acceptable to lots of people in Malta.”

Cacopardo said it is now up to the Police to “immediately gather evidence for those who are complicit with the mafia to pay for their actions”.

It is also up to Parliament, he said, “to scrutinise the recommendations of the inquiry and implement them without delay. It is worth mentioning that some recommendations have been made by various organizations over the years, including by our party.

“It is clear that Parliament has failed to do its job: that of holding the government to account. A two-party parliament cannot do this effectively because one side has the power to roll over the other without the need for discussion. In the interests of a strong democracy, accountability and good governance it is essential to have a third party in Parliament.”