Minister stands by police commissioner, attacks opposition

The police commissioner was doing a commendable job – despite constant efforts by the opposition to undermine him – and had also acted promptly when to assist the enquiring magistrate looking into allegations made against the prime minister, his wife and Pilatus Bank, home affairs minister Carmelo Abela said on Monday.

Abela would not comment on whether he approved of the police commissioner getting filmed eating rabbit in Mgarr while media were filming the chairman of the Pilatus Bank and a member of other staff leaving the bank at night carrying a couple of suitcases.

Blogger and The Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia claimed last week to be in possession of transcripts document which proved that Michelle Muscat, wife of prime minister Joseph Muscat, held shares in Egrant, a secret company opened in Panama with two others belonging to the PM’s chief of staff and minister Konrad Mizzi.

The Prime Minister has asked for a magisterial inquiry to be launched over the allegations levelled against him – an inquiry that the PN is now described as “a cover-up”.

Joseph Muscat and Michelle Muscat have both appeared before inquiring magistrate Aaron Bugeja. On Sunday, Muscat told the party faithful gathered at the Labour Party’s headquarters that he was telling the truth.

Abela was addressing a press conference outlining the strategy of the Armed Forces of Malta for 2016 to 2026.

He said that the document reflected the reality of the day better than ever and included references and plans for incidents, threats and obligations the AFM expected to face over the same time period. 

The minister that a first of three platoons had been set up under the newly-established Special Operations Unit and which brought together specialists from across the AFM’s sphere of operations: infantry, maritime, air wing, ordinance and explosives, scuba diving, and more.

"This is the first time such a plan has been drawn up, and the AFM has established what standards criteria are necessary for it to fulfill its role and duties," he said. 

"This document is intended to shape every facet of the business of the AFM, from financing to procurement, from human resources to operational planning."

Abela said that the AFM still had a way to go to meet the staffing figures it had set for the next 10 years; there are currently 1,692 serving officers and enlisted men and women in the AFM.

Abela said that the strategy paper had already yielded significant results in the first year since being launched, while a number of other measures were being planned.