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2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 MARCH 2021 Death of the Republic Editorial IT is ironic – to say the least – that former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's lofty calls for a 'Second Re- public' may indeed materialise: but only because his own toxic legacy now threatens to destroy the first one. In 2013, Muscat actively toyed with the idea of a Constitutional convention, whose far-reaching reforms would usher in a 'second republic'. The convention was stalled by the Nationalist Party's boisterous refusal to tag along. But still, Muscat's ambition was already being parlayed into his leg- acy… albeit without any major epochal event to warrant the rebirth of Malta's political state. At that point, there had been no judicial wipe- out of the political class to signify the passage from one republic to the next. Nor did the much-needed and long delayed reforms require the semblance of an epochal earthquake, simply because the coun- try had seen a change in government after 25 years of Nationalist administration. But the events which have rocked the Maltese po- litical state ever since the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017, have now set that train firmly in motion. It is hard to map out the next stations this train will be coming into, or even its final destination. But the pardon granted to one of the Caruana Gal- izia hitmen, and the subsequent arrests of an al- leged 'mafia' gang – together with the revelations of the other two hitmen who claim inside knowl- edge of a former minister's role in the Daphne plot – are all clear signs of a political earthquake yet to come. It might not be the 'earthquake of change' Joseph Muscat had in mind, when he made that ill-fated political promise in 2013. But the events we have witnessed in recent years all point in the same di- rection: the political structures we have inherited since Independence are now in danger of collaps- ing. For Labour voters, and party insiders, the events of the week cannot be simply brushed aside by cavalier speeches the likes of which we saw in the House this week. A budget implementation vote this week was taken up by the Nationalist oppo- sition's hammering of a Labour administration which has yet to reckon with the alleged corrup- tion of the once-powerful Keith Schembri; and the inaction – deliberate or otherwise – of Joseph Muscat. Labour MPs and ministers predictably defended their government's record; but even with the lita- ny of government triumphs and Nationalist short- comings they threw at the Opposition this week, it will not shake off the national feeling of dread at the imminent revelation of earth-shattering facts. The legitimacy of the Muscat administration, in- herited by Robert Abela, is now imperilled and has become toxic. The chief architect of Muscat's electoral victo- ries is facing charges of corruption; his facilitators in finance could hold the key to secrets that will shake the administration to its core; and the main suspects in the Caruana Galizia assassination are now claiming a political hand in the journalist's murder. If true, then this really is a mafia state. And the death of the first republic. This places Prime Minister Abela in a quandary. He has certainly presided over the country's most serious prosecutions to date, on subjects which deal with the most heinous accusations against the Muscat administration he was bequeathed. He now walks a tight-rope which requires him to work zealously – not just to maintain the normali- ty of a rule-abiding state – but also to avoid a cha- otic grey-listing of Malta's financial jurisdiction by Moneyval. At the same time, Abela must shore up Labour support for his leadership and reforms, not least under pressure of an Opposition reinvigorated by the latest revelations. But the legacy of the Muscat administration, coupled with the Chinese torture of the unfolding revelations, will no doubt increase the temptation of the PM to call an election. The timing is certainly not propitious, because of both the COVID pandemic, and also the fact that we are now in an extension of the political crisis of December 2019. But there is no doubt that this country will need a political airing-out – whether for Abela to assume legitimacy as an elected La- bour prime minister (should the next election fa- vour him so) or for a democratic re-balancing of voters – and for this to happen, the present ad- ministration must seek a renewed electoral man- date. But this, in itself, will only address the question of Abela's own legitimacy. To begin the longer- term healing process, we may also end up having to rebuild a Republic that is currently being de- molished by the Muscat legacy. 27 March 2011 MEPA auditor sends chairman report on Petra Bianchi's appointment MEPA auditor Joe Falzon has concluded a report investigating the legality of former Din l-Art Helwa president Petra Bianchi's appoint- ment as director for environmental protection in the Malta Environment and Planning Au- thority. Petra Bianchi was handpicked without any public call for applications, a decision that fell foul of MEPA's new direction towards transparency and accountability. "I had received a formal complaint on Bianchi's appointment. I have just finalised the preliminary report which is now in the hands of chairman Austin Walker for his comments. As soon as I receive his comments I will send the report to the complainant," MEPA auditor Joe Falzon said. Falzon was tight-lipped when asked about the conclusions of his report, insisting that it is not prudent to speak before the chairman replies to his report. Asked for his opinion on the legality of the more recent appointment of MEPA lawyer Ian Stafrace as MEPA's new chief executive, Falzon replied that he would have no problem inves- tigating this appointment, which is "identical" to that of Bianchi if someone presents a formal complaint. The government has justified Bianchi's ap- pointment saying that MEPA can issue a call for applications or directly appoint a director to head its directorate. "To expedite this process the MEPA board decided that in this case the most appropriate approach was to directly appoint its Director for Environmental Protection." Bianchi's predecessors in the post, Ray Piscopo and Martin Seychell, were both selected following a selection process and both had scientific back- ground in engineering and chemistry respectively. Bianchi holds a doctorate in English literature from Oxford as well as an MBA from the Maas- tricht school of management. Bianchi's responsibilities include biodiversity, air pollution, waste and the implementation of EU directives. In February, parliamentary secretary Mario de Marco described Bianchi's appointment as an opportunity for MEPA to communicate its envi- ronmental efforts better. ... Quote of the Week "Parliament is not split between angels on this side, and devils on the other." Nationalist MP Mario Galea MaltaToday 10 years ago