[WATCH] ‘Civil society only institution that worked’ – anti-corruption protest calls for justice over Montenegro scandal

Activists gathered outside Parliament on Monday evening to protest against corruption in the wake of the latest scandal involving Enemalta, 17 Black and a wind farm in Montenegro.

The protest, organised by civil society groups Repubblika, #occupyjustice and manueldelia.com, comes on the same day that former Joseph Muscat chief of staff Keith Schembri testified in the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech.

Protestors are shouting 'murderers' and 'corrupt', directing their anger towards the government (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Protestors are also calling for a joint investigation with Europol on corruption cases and the Caruana Galizia murder (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

Opposition MP and lawyer parte civile for the Caruana Galizia family, Jason Azzopardi is attending the protest

The demonstrators, who numbered somewhere in the hundreds, shouted for the arrests of Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi and “ix-Xih” – a reference to Joseph Muscat.

Addressing the crowd, former president of the PN executive committee Mark Anthony Sammut called Schembri out for what he claimed was lying under oath during his testimony.

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

Sammut said that – while Schembri said in court that he had intended to do business with suspected Daphne Caruana Galizia murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech and his company 17 Black once he left politics – information uncovered from correspondence with Nexia BT shows that the Mizzi and Schembri’s Panama companies were expecting to receive money within a year of being set up.

And within such a period, Schembri would have still been in politics, Sammut highlighted.

Former PN executive committee president Mark Anthony Sammut

“And just for this proven lie, which Schembri said under oath, he should have been arrested – let alone for all the lies he said throughout the past 17 years,” Sammut said.

Sammut said the criminals involved in the corruption scandals were not afraid of anything except of the protests civil society had been carrying out for the past months since Caruana Galizia was murdered.

“We, the citizens, are the only institution which has worked for these past two years – the only institution [whose members] love their country.”

In court earlier today, Schembri denied any involvement in the murder but admitted for the first time on planning of doing business with Fenech and his company 17 Black, once his time in politics was over.

Fenech owns 17 Black, which a joint journalistic investigation last week revealed had benefitted from €4 million in profit over a deal which saw State-owned Enemalta buy a wind farm project in Montenegro.

Justice only when those involved take responsibility

Repubblika member Marion Pace Axiaq said that the resignations of Muscat, Schembri, Mizzi and former police chief Lawrence Cutajar were only the first step towards justice.

Repubblika member Marion Pace Axiaq

“There will only be justice once the reasons which led to the resignations result in them being interrogated, investigated, and shouldering responsibility for what they did,” she said.

Pace Axiaq also called for their resignation letters to be published. “We know absolutely nothing about what was in their resignation letters. In democratic countries, such letters are publishes,” she added.