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Balzan accuses Muscat of repeating Fenech Adami’s mistakes
From his years at Alternattiva Demokratika to his relationship with John Dalli, MediaToday's Managing Editor Saviour Balzan bares all in an interview with Andrew Azzopardi.
19 May 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
In a frank interview with Andrew Azzopardi on Radju Malta, MediaToday's managing director Saviour Balzan spoke about his recently published book 'Saying it as it is' and his career spanning over four decades.
Turning to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's address in Parliament earlier this week in which he heaped praise on his predecessor and former adversary Lawrence Gonzi, Balzan said that while political maturity demands that politicians respect each other, Muscat's speech reminded him of Eddie Fenech Adami's conscious decision to ignore the scandals that happened in the seventies and eighties.
"Fenech Adami was harshly criticised upon taking office in 1987 for forgetting everything, so much so that a number of police officers who tortured people in the eighties ended up being promoted within the corps or ended up directing our prisons," Balzan said.
He also said that the Nationalist Party should take a step back in criticising the Labour government's appointments which smacked of nepotism.
"The Labour government needs to apply meritocracy, and I will be the first to point it out if it does not happen. The PN are not in a position to criticise the government. Us journalists are. All appointments by the PN administration, with the notable exception of the Presidency, were made according to people's political beliefs."
Speaking on the judiciary, Balzan said this was marred by subjectivity based on who the person present before the court was.
"Everyone should be treated the same... but in this country the tendency is to look at a person and base your decision according to who you, where you come from and which political party do you side with."
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@ serracin:
Minister Helena Dalli has not used that email address since it was hacked a couple of years ago. The Minister may be contacted on: [email protected] or [email protected].
Jonathan Brimmer
Communications Coordinator
Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties
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no,mr muscat is repeating alfred sant's mistakes when he promised redress to the workers injustices and then he did nothing.He came crushing down after 22months and this govt will first suffer a thrasing in MEP's election and then in 5 years time!!!
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@ sparku Contradictory? Not at all. I could do what most people do, and blindly read my party’s paper. But what for? To simply nod and say how much I agree? And what would the point of that be? Indeed, do you see Eddie Privitera writing in here? Not very often – he doesn’t need to because he agrees with everything this paper says. Anyway, my point was that Malta Today should not try to pass itself off as being ‘independent’, because this is misleading. At the very least, it should state that it is anti-PN – at least that would be more honest!
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@ sparku Contradictory? Not at all. I could do what most people do, and blindly read my party’s paper. But what for? To simply nod and say how much I agree? And what would the point of that be? Indeed, do you see Eddie Privitera writing in here? Not very often – he doesn’t need to because he agrees with everything this paper says. Anyway, my point was that Malta Today should not try to pass itself off as being ‘independent’, because this is misleading. At the very least, it should state that it is anti-PN – at least that would be more honest!
Emmanuel Mallia •
Helena Dalli does not respond to emails sent from ordinary people. I had the experience myself. If you want to have a try, go to parlament.gov.mt and there you will find all their emails.
David Bongailas •
@serracin.....on which basis did you come up with your chart for best and worst performing ministers exactly ??? I for one think that Helena Dalli was one of the best so far.....if not the best in fact. And by the way it is Zammit Lewis and not Zammit Louis.
David Bongailas •
@tweetybirdie: Don't you think that calling this newspaper "a labour rag" and yet commenting constantly on it's comments boards is a tiny little bit contradictory on your part ? Besides there are many Nationalist rags about.......maybe you should stick to them and rid yourself of all the anger and resentment.
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@ Accountability My word, you and I must be living in different countries! Suffering you say? Do you remember the 70s and 80s? Now those were days of suffering and injustice, when you could be blacklisted from working and be beaten up and even killed for having a different opinion to those in Government! Compared to the dark days of the MLP, the PN gave us democracy and freedom of expression. As well as economic growth and jobs -- where the MLP only gave us misery and corruption. So tell us about your experiences under the PN. Are you sure it wasn’t simply your lack of ability that did not get you and your children promoted? And if the PN did not appoint people on the basis of competence (and hence meritocracy), how come the country did so well over the last 25 years? The way you are speaking, it should have gone ‘gas down gol-hajt’! In fact it did not … but it will in the next months unfortunately! And much quicker than anybody, including the Nationalist Party, anticipated!!!
But back to the original point: Saviour Balzan should not call his paper independent, because it isn’t. It is just another Labour rag.
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@ Accountability My word, you and I must be living in different countries! Suffering you say? Do you remember the 70s and 80s? Now those were days of suffering and injustice, when you could be blacklisted from working and be beaten up and even killed for having a different opinion to those in Government! Compared to the dark days of the MLP, the PN gave us democracy and freedom of expression. As well as economic growth and jobs -- where the MLP only gave us misery and corruption. So tell us about your experiences under the PN. Are you sure it wasn’t simply your lack of ability that did not get you and your children promoted? And if the PN did not appoint people on the basis of competence (and hence meritocracy), how come the country did so well over the last 25 years? The way you are speaking, it should have gone ‘gas down gol-hajt’! In fact it did not … but it will in the next months unfortunately! And much quicker than anybody, including the Nationalist Party, anticipated!!!
But back to the original point: Saviour Balzan should not call his paper independent, because it isn’t. It is just another Labour rag.
Emmanuel Mallia •
@tweetybirdie We are criticizing PN, first and foremost because we are strong believers that PN has two administrations. The visible one, Simple Simon and the rest and the hidden one, obscure, so called advisers and manipulators, with possible links to an obscure, secret society ! PN that was always run by cunning, deceiving, diplomatic lawyers who give a very different impression of the truth going on inside the party
Emmanuel Mallia •
Skoccizz, I fully agree. Not only that, but they give you appointments and are being cancelled just hours before for second and even third time to make you loose hope ! The best ministers so far, who at least answer emails are J. Mizzi, S.Buontempo Ms Coliero Preca and Zammit Louis. The worst are G Farrugia, Helena Dalli and L Grech. It is worth noting that L Grech and Edward Scicluna did not even answer emails before the election, immagine now
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@tweetybirdie: When you have suffered absolute discrimination for 25 years plus, when you have been isolated from your colleagues at work for years on end, when your children have been discriminated against, never promoted, then you will just start, maybe just start, to understand how angry the majority of people are at the GONZIPN clique. I honestly hope that you do not suffer the same fate as I am sure that the PL Movement's promise will be upheld. But when you see diehard PN supporters who benefited without meritocracy for so long being yet again appointed on Government boards, those who have suffered so much and for so long get absolutely frustrated. In short we give up believing that justice will ever be done on those who abused so much, on those who were corrupt so much, on those who declared how proud they were to vote for a massive increase in the energy tariffs, on those who lied to the people for so long. My dear tweetybirdie, Saviour Balzan is our voice, the voice of the injured and persecuted. May God bless him.
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We were promised the whistleblower act too.
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It's a shame that Balzan, and indeed this paper, is so intensely anti-PN. One should not have this in an 'independent' paper.
Indeed, so much is Balzan is anti-PN that he is almost more pro-PL than the PL itself!
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With the notable exception of the Presidency:Dr. Gonzi laqat tlitt ghasafar b'din l-ghazla:Lil-PL hadlu dak li kien qed jissemma li se jergghu idahluh fil-partit bhala l-Leader u b'Jos. Muscat leader designate, biex sena wara li jitilghu fil-gvern wiehed imur President u l-iehor isir Prim Ministru.2 jidher li qed igib rikonciljazzjoni fil-pajjiz issa li kellu wiehed biss deputat izjed u b-1500 votes, il-minimum.3. Dr. Gonzi qatt ma kien se jafda post hekk importanti lil bniedem laburist jekk li kieku ma kienx zgur li jista jirkattah jekk imur kontra tieghu.Tinsewx dr.Abela kien fl-esekuttiv tal-MLP fil-1979, meta hu u shabu kienu jiggerrew mat-toroq tal-Belt jistorbjaw(skond Profs. Dum. Fenech) u kien jaf li l-Kabinett 1980 kien iffrejmja lil- Missieri, Karm Grima, biex jehel bil-vjolenza ta' Black Monday, li dak inhar Dr. Abela kien wiehed minnhom.
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@serracin: We had "devout" Catholics for Prime Ministers but do not forget what Christ himself said of the Pharisees - they were OQBRA IMBAJJDA. How can one be a devout Catholic and rob the poor of all the energy bills when piling on himself € 500 per week? How can he be a devout Catholic and be the most arrogant person in Christendom and lied so blatantly to the people - the November 2012 BWSC claim that BWSC were forced to pay € 4 million when EneMalta are now saying that no request was ever made is the latest case in point. No this is not Christianity - at least not that which was taught by our Saviour Jesus Christ.
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A lot has happened during the last 10 weeks. Try and get in touch with any minister, his staff or other appointed persons. They simply disregard phone calls and ignore everyone. Incredible. Where are the injustices being rectified?
Emmanuel Mallia •
Another big difference is that both Fenech Adami and Gonzi, are devout Catholics, as Prime Ministers. Gonzi have said NO to divorce, but does this alone made him a good catholic prime minister?
Emmanuel Mallia •
Agreed ! Fenech Adami believed that scandals and the sort are accepted and are part of a democracy. The biggest difference between Fenech Adami and Gonzi was that Gonzi did not believe in dialogue and he was a yes man to his hidden advisers. Gonzi gave in to JPO, but remained defiant against Franco. On the other hand, when Dr Brincat wanted to raise the then divorce issue, Fenech Adami said NO and he stood by it !
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Some are saying that although the new government has only been in power for 2 months already there is a lot of grumbling ; some are saying that the earthquake in some boards and several authorities should be extended to government departments - some PN sympathisers are still doing overtime while LP forgot the last time they did. One went so far as to complain that singers of PN sympathies who sang "Iva" and "Futur fis-Sod" are still appearing on TVM!
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Gonzi as President, not for another 10 years please,
a constitutional crisis might arise if he was president and further episodes of corruption are uncovered and they occurred under his watch and by the people he appointed. He would very quickly lose credibility, and be forced to resign.
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Malta today is the best newspaper we have at the moment. For the past days and months it has uncovered the dirty of both political parties. Although I have my political beliefs I expect that Mr Balzan be given the best in journalism. He is one of the very very few who respect the citizen. Don't forget the maltese politician's motto is "scratch my Back and I 'll scratch yours". Before the elections they preach and uncover all the dirt but after after the election everything is forgotten, like in the case the late Raymond Caruana and Karin Grech. We were told by EFA that he knew, after the election he knew nothing, A Sant used to speak about drug barons, what happened? Joe Muscat spoke about corruption, how many politicians are behind bars? They are all the same. If it happenes to be one of the children of the lesser gods then its different. They are made to pay both by money and prisons terms. democracy and Justice at its Best,
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I agree 50-50 with Mr Saviour Balzan. I believe that members appointed on boards should have the full trust of the Government. The mistake being committed by this Government is that various members of boards appointed are those who crossed party lines recently while ignoring those who really are strong in their political beliefs. Those who didn't bother to show and defend their principles when the PL was in opposition and had nothing to gain. On the contrary they had everything to lose. But even here, they should be not only trustworthy but also capable to perform their duties. Most of those appointed have not the required knowledge and capability. Last appointments are clear example.
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Well done Saviour!!
Spot on!!
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I am a Pl supporter and to a certain extent agree with Mr.Balzan. Sometimes I feel that no exchange in government took place accept for certain switched faces which have now turned red! Case in point for PBS CEO who was so much critisized before the election together with so many others and is still there even going to Eurovision with Gianluca!!!
Only us man in the street still feel that we've been abandoned by all! Should there be an election today, I will probably not vote!
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spot on
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SAVIOUR BALZAN, AS ALWAYS, IS VERY MUCH CORRECT. POLITICIANS SHOULD BE HONEST WITH THE PEOPLE AND HEAPING PRAISE ON GONZI WHEN THE GONZIPN ADMINISTRATION WAS THE MOST ARROGANT, MOST CORRUPT AND MOST DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST THE PL IS AGAINST ALL PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE. THERE IS NO WAY THE PEOPLE OF THESE ISLANDS ARE GOING TO ACCEPT A GONZI AS PRESIDENT, AS OUR NEW PM SEEMS TO BE INDICATING BY THESE HEAPS OF PRAISE WHEN SO MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO THE PEOPLE BY GONZI AND HIS CLIQUE.
