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PN leader Simon Busuttil this morning urged the Attorney General to stand up and be counting, saying Peter Grech, who had been appointed by a Nationalist government, was being forced to go against his conscience.
“Do not let them continue using you. Respect your oath of allegiance towards the Constitution,” Dr Busuttil said.
The PN leader was addressing a Sunday morning political activity in his hometown of Birkirkara.
He noted that in the last 48 hours, Malta’s reputation had been tarnished around the globe with the so-called “Malta Files” which dominated the international media.
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"This is happening at a time when Malta is at the helm of the EU Presidency and supposedly in the spotlight for the right reasons, but the opposite is happening," he remarked.
“The bottom line is that these reports are incorrect but they are harming the country,” Dr Busuttil said.
“These reports went viral because Malta’s credibility at present is at an all-time low with the government immersed up to its neck in corruption. And Joseph Muscat has no credibility to defend Malta,” he said.
Referring to the Prime Minister’s call for national unity, Dr Busuttil said Dr Muscat did not even bother to contact him over the phone to ask him to work together.
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“I pledge that if in two weeks’ time I am elected Prime Minister, I will take concrete action to win this challenge and restore Malta’s reputation,” he said.
The PN leader noted that the financial services sector was going through turbulent times, and announced that further proposals from the Nationalist Party would be unveiled tomorrow morning.
Dr Busuttil said that the people to blame for the situation the country was in were Joseph Muscat, Minister Konrad Mizzi and the PM's chief of staff Keith Schembri.
“Not only they turned a blind eye to corruption, but they were accomplices," he said.
Referring to the allegations that former Allied Newspapers director received €650,000 from Mr Schembri, he said this showed that the PL had been immersed in corruption well before being elected to government.
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“While the PL government was shedding crocodile tears on major scandals like the Café Premier and Gaffarena scandal, they were conducting these manoeuvres behind the people’s back.”
Dr Busuttil heaped praise to those who had flagged this wrongdoing, saying they chose Malta’s interests.
“In return, the country’s hijacked institutions filed criminal complaints to track down those who had leaked the information, and, in turn, the police immediately went to the magistrate to launch an inquiry.”
The PN leader accused Dr Muscat of hypocrisy saying that, on one hand, he was pledging good governance and on the other he was leading a witch hunt against those who leaked the documents.
“I choose to defend whoever uncovers corruption, regardless of who is involved,” Dr Busuttil said.
Referring to a report in The Sunday Times of Malta today, he said the FIAU itself had filed the complaint.
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“This shows that this agency, which is led by the Attorney General, has also been hijacked.
“We had appointed you, and are aware you are being forced to go against your conscience. Do not let them use continue to use you. Respect your oath of allegiance towards the Constitution,” Dr Busuttil said.
He added that the only solution at this stage was to persuade more people to vote for Malta.
Earlier PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami saluted Labour stalwart Joe Debono Grech who is bowing out of politics after four decades, saying that throughout his political career, Mr Debono Grech had always been loyal to the PL’s values and principles, in sharp contrast with Joseph Muscat.