Malta is in free fall in the ranking of one of the world’s most prestigious freedom watchdogs. Yet, the government, now growing grotesquely brazen by the day, is looking the other way, making it look as if all is fine and dandy. The truth is the government appears to be living in a huge bubble, one that is likely to burst in its face unless it turns a new page and decides to follow the governing principles it had laid down for itself before the start of the 2013 legislature.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat often makes light of concern expressed by so many foreign observers about the deteriorating rule of law situation in Malta, naively protesting that most of the bad things being said about the country could be easily written off as amounting to jealousy of the country’s steady economic progress. But such retort does not wash among all those who have seen this country making steady progress in its democratic process over time.
Nor does it impress international freedom organisations, such as Freedom House, or Transparency International. A fall of 16 places, from 17th to 33rd, in Freedom House’s latest ranking has confirmed the widespread local and European concern over Malta’s gradual erosion of the rule of law.
It goes without saying that the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia has made a big impact on the ranking.
The killing of an investigative journalist in a democratic country is no light matter and, although the country was generally shocked, some quarters failed to grasp its full significance within the context of what was, and still is, happening in the country.
Indeed, at times it seemed that the murder made a greater impact on the democratic wavelength abroad than in Malta, which is shameful. But, of course, as the spokeswoman for Freedom House said, there were many other factors accumulating over the past years that were having a negative impact on Malta’s reputation.
She mentioned, among these, corruption and lack of transparency in public contracts as well as the influence of economic interest groups and individuals in national politics.
She could have gone on to mention money laundering, sleaze and rampant nepotism. She did not mention any names but one she must have surely had in mind is the Prime Minister’s closest aide, Keith Schembri, whom Dr Muscat kept in his position-of-trust post despite the fact that he had opened an offshore company in a tax haven and amid reports of “reasonable suspicion” regarding possible money laundering activity.
There are two Cabinet members who also ought to have resigned or been removed, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo.
The first, too, had opened an offshore company in Panama and the second failed to take action in time over wrongdoings allegedly committed by his chief canvasser who worked in an agency falling under his responsibility.
Judging by the indifferent and arrogant manner the government is treating criticism of its actions, there does not seem to be any prospect of a change in its attitude any time soon.
Governments come and go but if the country’s reputation keeps falling at the rate it is doing now, it is the people who will suffer most.
Once lost, reputations are hard to win back.
This is a Times of Malta print editorial