Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1399957
13 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 AUGUST 2021 OPINION Committed to justice on Malta's culture of impunity "…L-MINISTRI kollha indi- vidwalment min b'mod u min b'ieħor, kienu qed jissottoskrivu u javallaw id-deċiżjoni tal-Prim Ministru li jħalli kollox għaddej… illi s-sens ta' impunitá li kien qiegħed jinħoloq proprju fil-qa- lba tal-amministrazzjoni kellu l-approvazzjoni siekta, jekk mhux il-barka, tal-Kabinett kollu." "L-assassinju kien il-mezz krudi- li biex titkisser is-sistema li kienet qed tnawwar id-demokrazija fil- pajjiż." The Board of Inquiry's report is an unequivocal condemnation of Malta's democracy. It should shock the entire nation into re- alising that what we believed to be a functioning democracy serving the people is really a rot- ten apparatus set up by, and for self-serving tyrants. That Daphne Caruana Galizia's brutal assassi- nation was deemed necessary for government and its business con- nections to continue their plun- dering underlines the extent of depravity ruling the country. Today, Malta is in a terrible state. Yet we are seriously con- cerned that the prospects for the years to come are just as bleak, if not darker and more dangerous. The report is a stark indictment of the Maltese State turning on its own citizens, prejudicing a citizen's right to work freely and safely, and culminating in preju- dicing a citizen's right to life. An apology is simply not enough. An apology is certain- ly not enough to allay our fears as we see the same Members of Parliament, high-ranking officials and business people identified in the Inquiry still standing up in Parliament defending govern- ment's actions, still part of the civil service and still being able to operate their businesses without any consequence. An apology is not enough to comfort us in the face of the inexplicable and rep- rehensible inactivity of the Malta Police Force in relation to serious allegations of crimes and viola- tions. An apology is simply not enough to restore our faith in all the institutions that failed to act. They too are indicted. They too are responsible. Presently, Malta is run by the same persons who were closely affiliated with Joseph Muscat, the 'Person of the Year in Or- ganised Crime and Corruption' (OCCRP 2019). The Office of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet of Ministers, the House of Repre- sentatives, Ministries and most State entities were mobbed with people who knowingly and una- shamedly allowed and – in many cases – facilitated the dramatic erosion of Malta's rule of law. As we had flagged in an earlier commentary, the report notes how values and the duty to serve the nation were sold cheaply for jobs, tenders, direct orders and other privileges. It is shocking that such behaviour continues today with no shame and full im- punity, despite repeated calls for better governance from national, European and international in- stitutions. Despite such calls and not- withstanding the shambles that Malta's international reputation now sits in, Malta's ruling class remains above it all. Instead, we remain assaulted and offended on a daily basis: meaningless and inconsequential ministerial Face- book posts expressing sadness at the dire situation; unabashed selfies in Parliament whilst Jo- seph Muscat and his vile gang are being forced off their thrones; the daily clearing of the 'Daph- ne memorial'; embarrassing and compromising text messages between ministers and Yorgen Fenech; allegations of ministers and parliamentary secretaries in- volved in unethical – if not crim- inal – deals. And so many more. Repeatedly we find ourselves juggling the same questions: where is the accountability? Where is the commitment to serve the nation? Is the nation truly a "ġaħan"? We find no consolation or hope in the recent reforms enacted, and we have openly flagged our concerns with the Venice Com- mission and with the EU Com- mission. We are also not com- forted by the futile attempts of the President of the Republic to trigger a national discussion on reconciliation and peace. Flawed from the start, the Con- stitutional Convention promises neither reform nor accountabil- ity but guarantees the reshaping of our current mess into anoth- er system primarily intended to serve the interests of Malta's two main political parties. There is little consolation in knowing that nine members of the current Cab- inet also formed part of the 2019 Cabinet, found by the Board to be collectively responsible for failing to see the value in journalism, fail- ing to ensure the strengthening of the institutions and failing to re- store the rule of law. Yet we do find hope in our col- leagues and friends in civil socie- ty and we firmly believe that this is where Malta ought to be look- ing at for the basis of its future. For decades, non-governmental organisations have taken care of Malta's excluded, marginalised and vulnerable communities and have fought to protect national interests against the interests of the powerful few. NGOs have consistently pushed for laws and policies that uphold human dig- nity first and above all else, whilst provided invaluable services where the State was unwilling or unable to intervene. Civil society triggered the res- ignations from and reform pro- cess of Malta's institutions and we are committed to continuing this process. We are commit- ted to ensuring that the recom- mendations contained within the inquiry report are followed through in a transparent and inclusive manner. We are com- mitted in continuing to demand justice and accountability from every single individual who con- tributed to the appalling state we are in and to the culture of impu- nity that allowed Daphne's assas- sination. Dr Neil Falzon is diretor of Aditus info@aditus.org Neil Falzon Repeatedly we find ourselves juggling the same questions: where is the accountability? Where is the commitment to serve the nation? Is the nation truly a "ġaħan"?