[WATCH] Oust Zammit Lewis and Joseph Muscat, Opposition leader tells Prime Minister

Opposition leader Bernard Grech has called out government for not learning anything from the Financial Action Task Force’s greylisting of Malta.

He said that if Prime Minister Robert Abela truly has the country’s interests at heart, he would oust Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis and former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

“Everyday Zammit Lewis stays on, Malta loses a day in its fight to return to the whitelist,” he said.

His comment comes after Whatsapp messages between Zammit Lewis and alleged Caruana Galizia murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech were revealed by the media.

The exchange also showed the justice minister describing Labour Party voters with the derogatory term “Ġaħan”.

Last week, the minister refused to apologise, insisting his words were taken out of context. However, Zammit Lewis has now recanted and admitted the choice of words was wrong.

Grech dismissed the apology, saying the minister was trying to play the victim. Earlier this week, the opposition filed a motion of no confidence against Zammit Lewis in the House of Representatives.

He said that a Nationalist government would seek to restore the country’s reputation, and should he be PM, the government would get Malta off the greylist within three months.

Grech also said that Labourites’ dismissal of his declaration comes from the fact that they cannot even “imagine” such a thing happening, because they do not understand how important the country’s reputation is.

He also expresses his concern with Zammit Lewis being charged with carrying out recommendations from the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry, saying that with the minister keeping his post, the chances of Malta getting off the greylist are even slimmer.

Grech slammed government MPs for backing parliamentary recess, despite the country finding itself in the situation it is in.

“How does the Prime Minister expect to get off the grey list in three months as he said?” Grech asked.

READ ALSO: Zammit Lewis will not resign, apologises for ‘Ġaħan’ quip