The European Union’s smallest member country, Malta, heads for a snap election in a few days’ time, nine months ahead of its due date, with corruption featuring high on the electoral agenda.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat claims he made the decision to call the election in the national interest due to uncertainty that hit the country. However, common belief is that he forecasts better chances of being re-elected before his credibility dwindles further as corruption scandals involving the top echelons of his government keep popping up with every new day.

Muscat gained power in March 2013 with a landslide electoral victory on the platform of a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, meritocracy, equal opportunities, transparency, eradication of nepotism and the promise to serve shoulder to shoulder with every Maltese citizen.

Once in power, he forgot all his promises and started implementing his plan to hijack the country’s key institutions responsible for the proper functioningof democracy.

A siege was immediately laid to the senior level of the civil service, with permanent secretaries heading the various government ministries and departments being expected to offer their resignation. Such demand went against the spirit of the Constitution that provides these officers with a tenure beyond the life of any particular government, thus balancing administrative continuity as a basis for democracy.

Individuals with political ties to Labour were instantly placed in the position of permanent secretary, opening the door to political discrimination in the recruitment of public offices, which is prohibited by the Constitution. This led to hundreds of so- called positions of trust, carrying lavish pay packages, being granted explicitly to top people within the Labour Party, their family members and friends.

Deals struck with China and Azerbaijan in the field of energy gave rise to many questions

An army officer in the rank of major known for his closeness to Muscat rocketed to the position of commander of the armed forces after he was given four promotions within the space of three months. Similarly, a new deputy commander was appointed through the fast track by means of three promotions within the same period.

The police commissioner, despite enjoying an excellent reputation for the professionalism with which he performed his duties during his 12-year period in office, was quickly removed and replaced by a former police officer who had retired four years earlier following which he served as the Labour Party’s legal procurator. Over the past four years, the country has witnessed five different police commissioners.

The present Police Commissioner has caused considerable embarrassment to the police force. Yet, Muscat has reiterated his trust in him.

The Police Commissioner failed to take action to prevent spoliation of important evidence concerning an alleged illicit transfer of $1,017,000 by the daughter of Azerbaijan’s President to a Panama offshore bank account that allegedly belongs to the Prime Minister’s wife.

He also failed to investigate money laundering suspicions raised by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit with regard to transactions of money originating from the sale of Maltese passports. These transactions were allegedly made by the Prime Minister’s financial consultant, Brian Tonna, to a bank account held in the name of the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri.

The Police Commissioner further failed to investigate another FIAU report raising money laundering suspicions and proceeds of crime in connection with the transfer of more than €650,000 from Schembri to the former managing director of Allied Newspapers.

Muscat has relentlessly defended former energy minister Konrad Mizzi and Schembri after it was revealed that they had opened secret companies in Panama. Close to $1 million were required to be deposited in each company annually, while brokerage services were indicated as a way of raising the money.

Deals struck with China and Azerbaijan in the field of energy gave rise to many questions.

In March 2014, Mizzi signed a €320 million deal with Chinese company Shanghai Electric Power in the presence of a Chinese owner of a British Virgin Islands company that was set up on May 29, 2013 at the request of the local financial consulting company managed by Tonna.

Dealings shrouded in secrecy also took place during visits to Azerbaijan by a team made up of the Prime Minister, his spokesman Kurt Farrugia, Mizzi and Schembri. A tender worth over €500 million was hence given by the Maltese government to Azerbaijan’s Socar Trading SA for the building of a power plant and the gasification of the island for electricity generation.

Socar also became a shareholder of Malta’s new power station while the Maltese government bound itself to buy liquefied natural gas for electricity and natural gas exclusively from Azerbaijan for a minimum of 18 years.

Furthermore, on Mizzi’s direction, Enemalta reached a fuel hedging agreement with Socar that was questioned by the Auditor General for incomplete documentation.

The Prime Minister cast a shadow of corruption over the Maltese presidency of the European Council when he chose Mizzi to chair the EU’s Energy Council.

Denis Tanti is a former assistant director (industrial and employment relations) in the Ministry for Health.

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