The Prime Minister should shoulder political responsibility for the Cyrus Engerer case especially since before the election he had politically assassinated his deputy when he criticised a magistrate, Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil said today.
Speaking during a political activity in Rabat as part of the MEP election campaign, Dr Busuttil dedicated a good chunk of his address to the Cyrus Engerer case, which saw the latter being given a two-year suspended jail term a few days ago after he was found guilty of distributing porn.
Dr Busuttil said the Prime Minister should stop using double standards, which was what he did with his implication that the judge involved was part of a political plot to undo Mr Engerer.
He asked how could the Nationalist Party have been involved in the Engerer case when the appeal was initiated under the Labour government.
The Opposition leader reiterated that the Prime Minister had been wrong to allow Mr Engerer to contest the EP elections when he was awaiting an Appeal’s Court judgment.
That was already a major mistake that reflected the Prime Minister’s irresponsibility, he said.
And after Mr Engerer was condemned to a two-year suspended jail term, Dr Muscat hailed him as a hero and called him “soldier of steel”.
He turned an aggressor, a criminal into a victim and a hero.
“This is not the kind of politics we want… We want clean politics,” Dr Busuttil said as he expressed solidarity with the real victim in the case, the person against whom Mr Engerer committed his crime.
The Maltese and Gozitans were also victims since Mr Engerer, who the Prime Minister tried to paint as a champion of gay rights, committed his crime against gay people and this was homophobic, he said.
Dr Busuttil said that the Labour Party was being held hostage by a small group of people who lacked values and were morally corrupt.
“The people are disgusted with such politics and they deserve better…
“This is not positive energy but shocking behaviour,” he said.
Earlier, Dr Busuttil referred to MPs declaration of assets in Parliament and asked whether the reason as to why Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi had not yet presented his was because he did not want to admit that his wife was earning even more than €13,000 a month.
He appealed to the people to speak with their vote on May 24.
“We have a government who only listens to votes so speak with your vote.”
Although the Nationalist Party would remain in Opposition after May 24, the government could still be given a message.
“With your vote you can make the Prime Minister start to listen to the fact that his behaviour is irresponsible…”
He also called on supporters to persuade other families to vote.
“This is a difficult election for the PN but we can send a message, we can give our contribution, we can do our duty… That is all I ask…. Tell the government that Malta deserves better,” he said.