Alternattiva Demokratika: ‘The blame game is leading the country nowhere’

Alternattiva Demokratika, the green party, has urged both political parties to avoid reducing the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia last week to a blame game.

Addressing a press conference, AD chairman Carmel Cacopardo noted the “extremely negative climate that has developed in the country” in the aftermath of the journalist’s killing.

Cacopardo said that while he was conscious of the “shock” felt by the country, and that anger at this stage was understandable, it could not risk “going down the route of mud slinging, finger pointing and the tribal blame game”.

He added that this was doing irreparable damage to Malta’s international reputation, and was undermining national institutions “that were already weak through years of purposeful neglect”.

“In this context, AD feels that the country has two important priorities. The first is that whoever committed this atrocious act is caught and brought to justice as soon as possible. The second priority is to immediately launch the constitutional reform process to strengthen the institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law in our country,” said Cacopardo.

The party leader said he agreed with Rosi Bindi who chairs the Italian anti-mafia parliamentary committee and who Cacopardo quoted as having said that Malta should work to close cracks in the operation of its institutions so that organized crime is deprived of the space in which it operates.

"We need to look ahead," said Cacopardo. “The blame game is not leading anywhere.”

In view of the current situation, AD insisted it was “high time that the constitutional convention, which has been promised for years is finally launched, bringing together all parties concerned, in particular but not only the parties represented in parliament”.

Cacopardo also announced that AD would be making contact with the Prime Minister, and the leader of the Opposition, amongst others, to request that the process be started “as soon as possible”.

“AD will continue to insist on the urgency of launching the reform process in the coming days and weeks and will not rest before this process of national importance is launched,” he added, emphasizing that the country now needed to “move on to positive action and hope”. 

“The common good must prevail over partisan pique that has ruined the sense of state and the ethical core of this country. This country must seek long-term solutions over political jockeying. This is the best way to honour Ms Caruana Galizia and the bitter price she paid for freedom of expression and politics based on public service,” concluded Cacopardo.