[WATCH] Abela on Bedingfield: ‘It’s his opinion… good governance is absolute priority’

Prime Minister Robert Abela has insisted government’s “absolute priority” has and will remain good governance.

“From January 2020, this government has provided institutions with the best resources, while leaving them to work independently,” he said. “The only thing we expect, as a democratic society built on the rule of law, is that they work in line with the law.”

Abela was fielding questions from the media following government Whip Glenn Bedingfield’s parliamentary speech on Tuesday. He came out with a scathing attack on the judiciary, calling the raid on Joseph Muscat’s property “persecution”.

“Are we sure the judiciary is not crumbling under the pressures exerted by certain MPs, NGOs and civil society?” he said.

The PM shifted the blame on the opposition, saying they are the ones who are truly attacking institutions.

“If you’re going to mention attacks, they are coming from the opposition, they are coming from the opposition leader, they are coming from those who attack the attorney general, Jason Azzopardi for example,” Abela said.

He was however evasive when asked whether Bedingfield’s statements on Tuesday undermine government efforts in rule of law reforms.

“We have shown that we are the opposite, we believe in the institutions,” he said. “In a number of episodes over the last two years, we have shown that we believe in professionalism, and we allowed institutions to work.”