Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil accused the government of undermining people’s trust in public institutions and politics.
Addressing party supporters at the Balzan club, he said people who believed the Prime Minister’s pre-electoral pledges were now disappointed by his lack of honesty.
Dr Busuttil listed a number of incidents which he claimed showed the Prime Minister’s dishonesty including the government’s lack of appetite to go ahead with the impeachment motion against Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco.
“The Prime Minister had promised to act on the recommendation of the Commission for the Administration of Justice before the election but has rescinded on this... it is wrong,” Dr Busuttil said, adding the government could not be believed that it wanted to reform the justice sector.
The Opposition leader said the government was more interested in taking care of its own and cited the case of the business partner of the Prime Minister’s wife who was given a tourism promotion job in the US. The case was highlighted by The Sunday Times of Malta.
He also criticised the lack of police action to prosecute against consumers who bribed Enemalta officials to obtain tampered smart meters, reiterating the accusation that there was political interference in the police force.
Dr Busuttil then appealed to the Attorney General not to allow himself to be used by the government for political ends.
The comment was a reaction to the news that it would be the AG who decides whether criminal action will be taken against consumers.
“I appeal to you [the Attorney General] to retain the dignity, independence and seriousness of the office and don’t do like the Police Commissioner,” he said.
Within this context, Dr Busuttil said, the PN had to serve as a beacon of hope for an “honest and clean way” of doing politics.
“We have to serve people and not use them... we have to show there is a correct way of doing politics,” he said.
He started off his speech by expressing solidarity with the Ukranian people and urged the Maltese government to take a clear stand in favour of the people. He also wished a speedy recovery to former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and Nationalist MP Robert Cutajar, who both are in hospital.