Nationalist MP Mario Galea in drink-driving accident in Zabbar

The Nationalist MP Mario Galea was involved in a drink-driving accident on Wednesday evening in Zabbar.

The MP caused minor damage to a parked car while manoeuvring, but police called on site made him do a breathalyser test, which revealed Galea was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

The MP spoke candidly to MaltaToday, opening his heart about a depressive episode that had pushed him to drink. “I haven’t had hard drink in eight years, and my tolerance has naturally gone down… I take full responsibility for what happened.”

An eyewitness photo of the incident

Galea, a former parliamentary secretary for the elderly, was not injured in the incident. “I had a depressive episode in which I felt incredible pain, and I felt I had to release it with drink. It is an unfortunate incident which I regret.”

Galea has been a vocal activist for sufferers of depression. In 2015 he criticised the government and the media for not doing enough to tackle the growing mental illness phenomenon. “There is no health without mental health and it’s useless for a person to be physically fit if he is always depressed or over-stressed,” Galea told parliament during the continuation of the second reading of a bill aimed at combating obesity.

Galea has admitted in the past to having passed through a depressive phase after the 2008 elections, and that he was on anti-depressants. “I passed through an episode of depression after my uncle died and my father was admitted to hospital. These are things we don’t choose for us to happen, and it’s a problem affecting 33,000 people in Malta. It shouldn’t be a stigma,” Galea had said.

The EU-wide Emotional Support Helpline, 116123, offers emotional support to callers in a state of psychological crisis, and those who require emotional support due to various life situations that they may be encountering.

Supportline 179 is a 24-hour free telephone service offered by Aġenzija Appoġġ.