Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1494132
maltatoday | SUNDAY •5 MARCH 2023 8 INTERVIEW Raphael Vassallo rvassallo@mediatoday.com.mt We need to hear Labour dissenters, In June 2022, you wrote that: "People will trust the PN again when they see [it] working together ‒ one party, one goal." That was before the Vi- tals-Steward verdict, which seems to have offered the PN the opportunity to finally 'unite'. First of all: do you agree that this verdict represents something of a 'turning point', in this regard? I do agree, yes. The Vitals ruling certainly seems to have injected a bit of confidence, into an Op- position party that was otherwise almost becoming… 'irrelevant' might not be the right word; but it clearly lost the impetus that it once had. In fact, last month's MaltaTo- day survey revealed that the PN is lagging behind the cohort of 'non-voters', for the first time ever. Then again, however, that around a month ago; and the Vitals verdict came out later, on February 24. And in all probabil- ity, one might look back at that date in future, and see it as a piv- otal moment for a 'comeback'. But it's too early to tell. The next election is still far away; and a week is a long time in politics. Nonetheless, I have already seen signs of regrouping. For the past 10 days, the leader of the Oppo- sition and his predecessor have always been seen close to one an- other; they have supported each other; addressed press confer- ences together… and yesterday [Thursday] they went together to Charles 'Il-Barri' Bar [in Mgarr], in a show of solidarity to its owner. On all those occasions, Dr Ber- nard Grech and Dr Adrian Delia were always seen together. Now: they themselves are both very much aware that they NEED to do that, in order to heal the wound caused by the 2020 Delia 'coup'. So the question is not wheth- er there is any attempt, on their part, to put on a 'show of unity'; but rather, whether it's actually working, or not. And from what I see on social media, and other sources… it does seem to be working. There has been a very much-needed resurgence of confidence, with- in the Nationalist Party: and not just because of the behaviour of Dr Grech and Dr Delia, either. One other important effect of the Vitals ruling, is that it has shown that the PN was on 'the right side of history'. If you look back at the historical milestones of the nation: the party that was on the right side of history, is usually vindicated. Now: the vindication itself might come late in the day. To- day, for instance, we can look back at [former PN leader] Dr Si- mon Busuttil, and conclude that he had been right on a quite a few things. He didn't win any elec- tions; but history has nonethe- less proven him right... whereas his political adversary, Dr Joseph Muscat – who did win elections – is now referred to, by most me- dia outlets, as a 'disgraced former Prime Minister'. And that seems to have stuck. So yes: looking back, this may well prove to be a pivotal mo- ment, in Maltese politics. It follows, then, that the Labour Party was on the 'wrong side of history' (not just on the Vitals issue; but also on the issues raised by Simon Busuttil before the 2017 election). Do you think, then, that the Vitals ruling will prove a turning point for the PL's political dominance, too? Let me put it this way: Labour has consistently shown that – irrespective of the leader – the party itself is well-organised; and its machinery and administration are both on a strong footing. As such, its electoral success doesn't depend so much on the 'identi- ty of the leader'... right now, for instance, I can easily envisage the PL being led, just as successfully, by someone other than Dr Rob- ert Abela. Because whoever becomes lead- er of that party, will automatically enjoy the support of a well-or- ganised, well-oiled – even from a financial point of view - party or- ganisational structure. This was, in fact, the 'earthquake of change' promised by Joseph Muscat in 2008. He was not just referring to changes in the Labour Par- ty's economic policy-direction... but also, to the party's structural organisation. Bear in mind that Muscat went on to abolish the post of 'secretary-general'; he introduced a 'CEO'; and imple- mented a number of other, mas- sive changes. But – to come back to your question – there might be a rift [between Joseph Muscat and Robert Abela] that is slowly opening, now. Because the Vitals verdict has implications, not just for the former leadership; but al- so on the present administration. Dr Muscat's defence, so far, has been to claim that Cabinet had been informed, and consult- ed, about what was effectively a 'collective decision'. And that didn't go down too well with Prime Minister Abela: who reit- erated, to a number of your col- leagues, that: 'No, Cabinet was not informed'; and that he found himself presented with a 'fait ac- complit', when he became Prime Minister. And I think that this 'contesta- tion of views' might be opening a rift of credibility, as well. Bear in mind that, up to now, it has remained only at the verbal lev- el. But when the results of the magisterial inquiry, initiated by Repubblika, eventually come out... naturally, I don't know what those results will be; but they might serve to rub further salt into the wound. Because un- like the Vitals case, which was in the Civil Court: the magisterial inquiry might lead to criminal implications. Obviously, however, we shall have to wait for the inquiry's ac- tual conclusions. But there is a chance – possibly, in the next few months – that, whilst the Oppo- sition might be slowly regroup- ing, Labour might start showing its first signs of 'cracks'... When you say 'criminal impli- cations', I assume you mean 'for Joseph Muscat, Konrad Mizzi, and the architects of the Vitals deal itself'... Yes. But the Opposition arguess that Robert Abela himself is respon- sible: because he was a legal consultant to Joseph Muscat, Public Policy analyst Dr GEORGE VITAL ZAMMIT, of the University's Political Science Department, argues that the recent Vitals-Steward court ruling may well prove a turning point in Maltese politics: emboldening government's internal critics to 'speak out more'