The Prime Minister has lost the moral authority to lead the country and should resign before more damage was done, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this evening, in the wake of the Panama scandal. 

Addressing a national protest in Castille Square following last week’s publication of the Panama Papers, which implicate, among others, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi and chief of staff Keith Schembri, Dr Busuttil said that this was why he presented a motion of no confidence in the whole government on behalf of the Opposition.

Photo: Andrew SchembriPhoto: Andrew Schembri

“We drew up the motion to show that there is someone in Parliament who is ready to reflect the people’s real sentiment. It does not mean we want an early election.”

Participants at the conference included former European Court of Human Rights Judge Giovanni Bonello and independent MP Marlene Farrugia, among others. 

The Labour Party, Dr Busuttil said, had a majority in Parliament and could continue to govern for the next two years. But, for the sake of truth and the national interest, the party should choose another leader and not one who was tainted as Dr Muscat.

He noted that the international media was following events in Malta and the PN’s message was clear.

“Do not judge Malta through Dr Muscat’s actions. The Maltese are against corruption.”

The government’s corrupt actions are “not in our name”, he said.

Dr Busuttil thanked the people for turning up and giving an example of what it meant to be the best in Europe.

“I am here to give you hope that together we can get out of this alley, to give you confidence that together we will regain normality, tranquility and stability, that we are on the right side, that reason needs no force, that there is strength in unity and that the country would end up being victorious.”

Earlier, Dr Busuttil said the people were at the protest as Maltese.

“And because we are Maltese, when the country’s name is stained, our name is stained. All of us here have something in common, we are all concerned for our country."

Unfortunately, he said, the country had been dragged into a dark alley of corruption, preferential treatment, discrimination, abuse of power and attacks on who dared disagree with the government. It has entered into an alley of uncertainty and instability which was damaging the country’s good name.

It was weakening with one scandal after another which had been going on for the years.

All these scandals had one common link - Joseph Muscat.

Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri had opened a secret company in Panama when Labour was in power.

Photo: Mark Zammit CordinaPhoto: Mark Zammit Cordina

They also tried to open a bank account in Dubai, which they wanted to use for brokerage.

Moreover, it became known today that there was also a third company. Who did it belong to? It was also made known today that companies started being opened in Panama five days after the election. This, he said, had been Labour's only roadmap Labour.

Labour had said before the election “we will hit the ground running. That is what they did,” Dr Busuttil said.

The first thing the Prime Minister did when news about Dr Mizzi’s company was first uncovered was give him a promotion. Moreover, he had been defending both Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri for seven weeks.

He was still dragging his feet and instead of taking the due action and he would be flying to Lebanon tonight to sell passports.

Both Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri were very close to the Prime Minister with an office at Auberge de Castille. They were involved in the government’s biggest decisions and negotiated the country’s most important contracts in the past three years.

None of these contracts were published, he said.

Dr Busuttil asked what was Dr Muscat’s interest to defend these people at all cost.

“Can it be he is himself involved? This is why this has become a matter of no confidence in the Prime Minister himself,” Dr Busuttil said.

He asked how could a businessman now meet the Prime Minister and not think that he would have to pay brokerage. This was the situation the government had brought the company in.

“I am as worried and shocked as you and cannot believe how, after just three years, we are already expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister… But we cannot remain silent.”

“Our message to the Prime Minister is clear: you have lost the moral authority to lead us,” Dr Busuttil said.

People missing out because of corruption - Marlene Farrugia

Corruption meant lost opportunities for the people, money which should be invested in social justice and a better standard of living for the people, independent MP Marlene Farrugia said this evening.

She referred to criticism that the PN was also corrupt saying that the people had voted the Nationalist government out of power but the party was now working to reform itself.

"I was there in the 1980s when democracy was threatened and when I thought I would be giving the country to those promising Malta Taghna Lkoll.
We want change, but for the better."

She admitted that people were confused about her statements on corruption.

Corruption, she said, was the face of that woman who needed medicine and had to beg to the Community Chest Fund as she could not make ends meet.

"We need to act to address the contempt to Malta's reputation which the Prime Minister has brought."

The PN's 25 years in government, had strengthened democracy after all.

"When the country calls, we are the ones who really believe in Malta Taghna Lkoll," she said to applause.

Foundations of democracy being eroded - Carl Grech

First to speak was Carl Grech who said the foundations of democracy were being eroded due to the Panamagate scandal, on which the Prime Minister had failed to act.

"This is the second time that people are out in the streets to protest against corruption in eight weeks," he said.

Mr Grech said that in countries where democracy was not held hostage by three people, action was taken within days, citing Iceland as an example. 

This scandal, he said, was tarnishing Malta's reputation and scaring away investment.

He questioned the reasons behind the secrecy of the Panamanian companies and said Dr Muscat was not even listening to those inside his own camp who were requesting him to take action.

"Dr Mizzi's and Mr Schembri's position is no longer tenable. If the Prime Minister wont's listen, he must go as well," Mr Grech said.

PM's slow response putting Malta's reputation at a crossroad - Arthur Galea Salamone

Arthur Galea Salamone said that good governance and transparency were the fulcrum of the financial services sector which employed 9,000 people.

The Panama scandal has put this service under scrutiny more than ever before.

This cloud needed a determined and decisive action for Malta to safeguard its reputation.

"Consequently, those who are in power have to lead by example and no further compromises with integrity should be made."

Faced by facts on one of his ministers, the Prime Minister opted to defend him saying he would wait for the findings of an audit before taking action.

A politician's integrity, Mr Galea Salamone said, was not measured by an audit, or millions, but by ethical behaviour.

He said the recent developments and the PM's slow response were putting Malta's reputation at a crossroad, threatening to endanger our financial services sector.

"I urge politicians of good will to work together to make amends for the harm done to Malta's reputation. Put away your personal interests and place the country's interest first. Do not remain silent in the face of political incorrectness. Do not keep defending the indefensible," he appealed.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.