AD slams government's 'weak and indecisive' treatment of Mallia

Alternattiva Demokratika has described prime minister Joseph Muscat as “weak and indecisive” and Manuel Mallia as “the albatross around the Muscat government’s neck”.

AD Chairperson Prof. Arnold Cassola told reporters that “while the prime minister is admitting that there was a cover up, all the blame has been shifted onto the Acting Commissioner of Police, Ray Zammit”.

“Muscat should have made a decision on the morning of the 20th. The fact that this did not happen shows that he is not a strong leader”, said Cassola. The decision by the prime minister to give Mallia the choice of stepping down was “the ridiculous decision of a weak prime minister, who for some reason is scared of taking any action against Mallia and his clan,” he said.

“When the prime minister wants to be decisive he can be”, said the AD chairperson, adding that he was convinced that the firing of Mallia took place soley due to the groundswell of public opinion against him. 

Also addressing the media outside the Auberge de Castille, AD’s Deputy Chairman, Carmel Cacopardo described the question of political responsibility as “the most important part” of the report following the magisterial inquiry into the shooting incident earlier last month.

“Political responsibility is only discussed when parties are in opposition and forgotten when they are in government”, said Cacopardo, adding  that the report of the inquiry criticizes appointments based on “political loyalties, nepotism, friendships and other unworthy considerations”. “It is difficult to imagine a more clear and severe condemnation of the Maltese political system, which invokes sanctity and principles whilst in Opposition but then forgets all when in government.”

“Mallia got to the point where he could challenge the prime minister”, said Cacopardo, “this is the worst form of arrogance against the prime minister and the Maltese people.” 

The leaking of phone calls between the police control room and officer Sheehan “cast a long shadow on the security of the state,” Cacopardo said, adding that this exposes a lack of security in the corps. “How do we know that criminals are not able to the the same”.

 He described the incident as casting a large shadow over the Police force as a whole, which obscures the fact the fact it is largely made up of "good, dedicated people."

He said the force now has lots of work ahead to pick up the pieces and expressed the party’s solidarity with the force, saying the AD is “full square behind these better elements in the police force who are acting in the national interest and making their best efforts to ensure that the Police force reacquires the public’s confidence.”