Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday called on Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to shoulder political responsibility for his “unprecedented obscene attack on the judiciary, made in the most irresponsible manner”.
Speaking in Parliament during the discussion on the Budget estimates, Dr Muscat said it was worrying that Dr Busuttil had implied the independent inquiry in the shooting incident was a cover-up attempt (see story below).
Three retired judges are investigating the PN’s allegation there was a cover-up over the shooting involving the former driver of Home Affairs Minister Emanuel Mallia.
Interjecting, Dr Busuttil said the Prime Minister did not quote him in full when he said that he had attacked persons of known integrity.
Dr Muscat said he would respect the outcome of the inquiry and challenged Dr Busuttil to do likewise.
Independent persons would investigate the matter and, unlike Dr Busuttil, he would not seek to undermine the integrity of institutions. Was this the way to do politics? It was legitimate to have a debate on political responsibility but one should not resort to personal attacks on political adversaries.
Earlier, Dr Muscat recalled that utility tariffs had been reduced for families last year and businesses from next March. Noting that Dr Busuttil had described the foreign investment in Enemalta as an “excuse” for the gas power station delay, Dr Muscat said €320 million, with which the government would reduce Enemalta’s debts by half, was a good excuse. The government was cleaning up the mess left behind by the previous Nationalist administration.
Dr Busuttil did not understand that the government was required by EU directives to allocate €14 million for security of supply. This amount would be increased next year since the interconnector would be completed by then. Dr Muscat said he expected more from Dr Busuttil, “who was an expert on Europe”.
The government accepted criticism. It had delayed the building of the power station to ensure that the biggest foreign investment in Malta would take place.
People were now certain that Dr Busuttil did not have any plans. He did not have any clue about what he was saying. Concluding, Dr Muscat said that Parliament deserved better. He hoped that standards would be raised. Dr Busuttil would be held politically responsible for his declarations.
In a statement earlier, the government said Dr Busuttil should know that the three members of the judiciary appointed to carry out the inquiry enjoyed a very good reputation. His attack, it said, was only intended to serve his partisan agenda and was unfounded.
But in another statement, the PN said it was Dr Muscat who showed a great lack of judgement in moments that counted.
For he had shirked his responsibility as Prime Minister by failing to take the decision to sack the minister.
He chose to defend him instead and hide behind an inquiry that could never decide on political responsibility.
Dr Muscat, the PN said, ended up being Dr Mallia’s defence lawyer.