The EPP group has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the recent decision to arraign shadow minister Jason Azzopardi for comments he had made on former police commissioner Peter Paul Zammit.
Group chairman Manfred Weber said:
“This is simply not on. As an EU member state, there are limits as to how far this Maltese Labour government can go in its insatiable quest for power with complete disregard to human rights.
"In a fully fledged democracy, dragging the shadow minister of justice to court for something he had said in his capacity as shadow minister is unheard of. Lines will be drawn and Malta will not be allowed to continue sliding down the authoritarian route.
"We will stick our necks for the Maltese citizens against this increasingly erratic government.
"Since when has a shadow justice minister been tried in Europe for something he said with a jail term of up to three months hanging over his head? And let’s not fool ourselves, this is indeed the Maltese government acting behind its hendchman.
"We will not be fooled and we will not surrender.
"Against the backdrop of the looming Maltese Presidency of the EU Council, we take note of how the Labour Prime Minister has dealt with his chief of staff and his deputy leader in the aftermath of the revelations of the secret companies and bank accounts in blacklisted Panama.
"We are deeply concerned and we will not stand by," he said.
EPP CHAIRMAN SHOULD CHECK FACTS
In a reaction, the Labour Party accused the Nationalist Party of "stooping to new lows" in trying to tarnish Malta reputation abroad by misreporting the case to the EPP chairman.
"Malta enjoys a complete separation of powers between the executive, the legislative and the judiciary as in any other democracy in Europe and full respect to the rule of law.
"The case that Mr Weber refers to was instituted upon a complaint by a private citizen who does not form part of the government in any form or way. Secondly, a member of Parliament like any other citizen, is equal in the eyes of the law and is expected to act with responsibility when commenting publicly," it said.
The PL said it seemed that the EPP chairman was suggesting the government should intervene in the course of justice which would be unbecoming in a normal functioning democracy.
"Malta is a top economic performer with a 6.3 per cent economic growth, and has met its as well its financial targets. More importantly Malta has legislated for some of the most advanced social reforms in Europe.
"The government is also legislating for more media freedoms, minority rights and political transparency such as the law regulating party financing which the PN is trying to flout through a scheme which promises anonymity and secrecy in party donations.
"One would expect the chairman of the largest group in the European Parliament to check facts and not rely on partisan briefs that are aimed solely to tarnish the reputation of the nation state," it said.
MUSCAT, SCHEMBRI AND MIZZI ARE TARNISHING MALTA'S REPUTATION - PN
The only three people who are stooping to new lows and tarnishing our country’s reputation are Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi - all embroiled in the Panama scandal, the PN said.