Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1520732
A growing coalition of 16 or- ganisations, led by Repubblika, has called for a national protest demonstration in Valletta on Thursday. The NGOs are demanding po- litical and institutional responsi- bility to be borne in the wake of the Vitals inquiry and the incite- ment against the courts, jour- nalists and wider civil society by both disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat and Prime Minister Robert Abela. Speaking outside the courts on Tuesday morning, Repubblika's former president Robert Aquili- na said that Malta was at a cru- cial moment in its history. "Around this time, five years ago – in May 2019 – Repubbli- ka had requested that the Court begin a magisterial inquiry into possible fraud in the sale of the people's hospitals. There had been great political resistance, which we had indicated in our court applications. But, after a long legal battle, the courts up- held our request and the inquiry was held," he said. Aquilina reminded that the magistrate who conducted the inquiry found that diverted money that was supposed to have been spent on public med- ical care, had been fraudulently diverted into the pockets of cor- rupt politicians and people close to them. "In the past two weeks, we discovered through court tes- timony that the inquiry had been concluded. The public also found out that on the basis of the inquiry's conclusions, a large number of people will be facing criminal charges, amongst them an ex-prime minister, his chief of staff, his ministers, and ex-dep- uty prime minister, the present Governor of the Central Bank and several permanent secretar- ies," Aquilina said, adding that this fact, alone, made this a grave moment in our nation's history. "It is just as grave that Joseph Muscat has attacked the mag- istrate who carried out this in- quiry. But it is far graver that the Prime Minister of our country launched an obscene attack on the Courts, journalists and civil society." Because of this, Repubblika said, it had brought together a national movement representing a wide swathe of Maltese society to confront what it described as "this national challenge." The coalition of 16 NGOs had agreed on a common position and to collaborate. They condemned the incite- ment against the judiciary, in particular the inquiring magis- trate, and journalists, which the coalition said was endangering their safety. "We treat this as a very serious and anti-democratic action. The fact that this attack was carried out by none other than the Prime Minister and the Justice Minister of our nation, continues to add to its gravity." The coalition is insisting that both political and institutional responsibility had to be borne for everything emerging from the magisterial inquiry. "It was not in the national interest or in the common interest to have in- dividuals facing serious criminal charges continuing to occupy public positions." One example, Aquilina said, was Edward Scicluna's contin- ued occupation of the post of Central Bank Governor, which he said was unacceptable and damaging to Malta's reputation, which was costing Maltese peo- ple their jobs. "If these people do not have the basic decency to resign of their own accord, it should be the Prime Minister to relieve them of their posts im- mediately." Saluting the public officials who are carrying out their duties with integrity, "at great cost and personal risk", the coalition prom- ised that it would be their shield. "We heard the Prime Minister say, sounding for all the world as if he was the emperor of these islands and not a prime minister, that the conclusions of the inquiry mean nothing to him. This alone is an act of sabotage on an inquiry that cost the Maltese people €10 million." "We warn our politicians that we are not going to accept having a Prime Minister, government and other State officials who… work for or give the appearance of working in favour of the interests of crimi- nals," they said. "We are certainly not going to allow that the Com- missioner of Police and the Attor- ney General carry on in this case in the same way they did with Pilatus Bank, where they conspired to un- dermine the magisterial inquiry which had ordered five people be charged, with only one eventually being arraigned." Aquilina made an appeal to all NGOs and similar bodies to join the movement by contacting the organisers. "Everyone is called to defend our country at such an important moment in time." 4 NEWS 4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 15 MAY 2024 LETTER OF INTENTION Outsourcing / Temporary Licence AlbaMT Group Ltd declares the intention for the company to register as an Employment Agency License in accordance with L.N. 270 of 2023 EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT (CAP.452) Employment Agencies Regulations, 2023. The activities proposed to be carried out focus on the provision of workers to make them available to a third party including: 1. Temporary work services involve providing workers to a third party. 2. The third-party assigns tasks to the temporary workers. 3. Outsourcing services involve providing workers to a third party. 4. The outsourcing agency, including contractors and subcontractors, supervises, directs, and controls the workers. Official Registered Address: 144, Sierra Court, flat 4. Triq L- Izbark tal-Francizi il Mellieha. Company registered number: C101811 LETTER OF INTENTION The Directors Aleksandar Marinkovic and Amy Borg Giuliano of EMM Services LTD. Operating under HI-Care Services, declares their intention for the company to register for an Employment Agency licence in accordance with article 23 of the Employment and Training Services Act, 1990 (Act XXVIII of 1990) for Recruitment Services, Temping Services and Outsourcing Services. The activities proposed to be carried out are the following: 1) Recruitment Consultancy 2) Interviewing, selection and placements of candidates in employment 3) Recruitment of persons from abroad to employment in Malta or in an EU member state 4) Recruitment of persons in Malta for employment in Malta or in an EU member state 5) Advertising of the filling of vacancies 6) Keeping a register of applicants for employment 7) Outsourcing of employees 8) Temping employees to different clients. Official Registered – 90, Valley Road, Birkirkara Operating Office Address. – 90, Valley Road, Birkirkara Company Registration Number: C95361 NGO coalition to hold national protest on Thursday over hospitals inquiry MATTHEW AGIUS magius@mediatoday.com.mt