Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/655581
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 MARCH 2016 22 Opinion Abela's failure defines Muscat's politics T he last thing I would have expected a week ago was to end up defending Labour deputy leader [technically, he still is] Toni Abela. I'm not saying that Dr Abela gave a good show. Of course not. But far more deserving candidates for the collective frustration, following his failure in Brussels last Monday, are lurking unnoticed, blaming the PN for "working against Malta's interest". Labour is panicking and there is no better way to assuage their sense of failure than to heap blame on their political rivals. Monday's grilling was horrible to watch; as though you were watching someone accelerating the wrong way down a motorway. In free fall without a parachute, it couldn't be more of a mess, but it was bound to happen. Things started to go badly awry the moment he entered that room. He stumbled badly as soon as the first question was asked. But let's pause for a moment and instead of joining what increasingly sounds like a mob lynching, put things into perspective. Toni Abela did not have the necessary experience for the European Court of Auditors. That's a given. Not that he's incompetent. Abela is a seasoned law yer, and (one of the very few) well-read Maltese politicians. However, that does not make him eligible to be a member in the European Court of Auditors. He never held public office, and has no experience in budgetary and auditory matters. He is, by the standards of the post for which he was nominated, inexperienced. Abela had another massive hurdle. His party in government is f lat on its back – mired in serious allegations of corruption and wrongdoing. Minister Konrad Mizzi's and Keith Schembri's shell companies in EU-blacklisted Panama, made it to the international press. Toni Abela, for those who know him well, could vouch for his general honour and integrity of character, couldn't argue that his party in government of which he was a second-in- command, had taken bold decisions on allegations of corruption involving senior party and government members. He was not entirely to blame. When the Panama scandal broke out, instead of sacking Konrad Mizzi, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat nominated Toni Abela for the Court of Auditors and replaced him with Konrad Mizzi; basically, 'kicking' Abela 'upstairs' – so as to rid himself of a critical voice within the PL executive, and promoting a man who deserved to be sacked on the spot the moment the Panama shell-company scandal broke out. The Prime Minister did not even Frank Psaila Abela's failure defined Muscat's way of doing politics: cobble something together to get over the line and when it hits a brick wall, blame your opponent Before Panamagate: (top) the Labour leadership votes on changes to the statute requirements for sitting MPs to be able to run for deputy leader for party affairs; (above) Konrad Mizzi was 'the chosen one' to take over Toni Abela as deputy leader for party affairs