[WATCH] ‘Don’t push this nation to the precipice of anger’, Muscat told by protestors in Valletta

It was a night of fiery speeches in Vallettta as Repubblika organised another national protest against corruption and impunity. 

UHM CEO Josef Vella, activist Amy Mallia and Repubblika activist Manuel Delia addressed the crowd in front of Castille.

“Be a good example and don’t push this nation on to the precipice of anger,” said Vella. “As politicians and as a government, you have the moral and executive authority, not to control anger using the forces of law and order, but by doing what is right and just in its proper time.”

“This is a mafia state” – Delia began, quoting Matthew Caruana Galizia as the crowd chanted ‘Mafia, Mafia, Mafia’.

Delia accused politicians of getting rich off the back of the people. “The mafia doesn’t want violence, it wants money, but when you get in the way, the mafia kills. The killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia was a terroristic mafia act carried out by our State,” he said.

“Over the past hours we have witnessed an attempt at a cover up of a murder, perpetrated by the State. And the State is personified in Joseph Muscat,” he said, as the crowd chanted ‘assassin, assassin’.

Delia described the release of Keith Schembri as “the biggest scandal in the history of our country.”

There is a positive vibe amongst protesters

(Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

People are decrying corruption and organised crime (Photo: James Bianchi/MediaToday)

The police could have held Keith Schembri under arrest for corruption, money laundering, or obstruction of justice, if not for murder, said the activist, but they chose to release him instead.

Earlier, the proverbial middle finger at Malta’s prime minister Joseph Muscat was blasting from the tannoy at 6pm, as a national protest convened by civil society group Repubblika was underway. The music was Italian pop star Marco Masini’s 90s hit ‘Vaffanculo’ – or ‘fuck you’ – reverberating outside the Auberge de Castille.

The protest coincided with the imminent resignation of Muscat, who said in a statement that the main suspect in the Caruana Galizia assassination investigation, Yorgen Fenech, had threatened to implicate him unless he recommends a pardon for him.

The protest was held in Valletta in Castille Square, outside the Office of the Prime Minister.

Thousands showed up to protest in light of the turbulent and unprecedented developments in government.

Police presence has more than doubled since the last protest held at Castille Square with over 40 officers alone guarding the barriers between the protestors and Castille.

On Thursday, at the end of a seven-hour long cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced at a press conference the request for a presidential pardon by Tumas magnate Yorgen Fenech was denied. 

Muscat said that he had asked for written advice from the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Police. He said allegations by Fenech against his former chief of staff Keith Schembri, made after the first pardon was refused, were investigated.

Repubblika said that Thursday’s events were an attack on “Maltese democracy and justice” after the PM’s former chief of staff, Keith Schembri, was released from investigations dealing with the assassination.

“The prime minister has exercised his disproportionate powers to protect his best friend if not himself as well from paying for crimes. Keith Schembri’s release is incomprehensible,” Repubblika said. “On the prime minister’s instructions, instead, they are being protected. On the prime minister’s instructions, instead, they are being protected.”

On Friday evening, Muscat issued a public statement saying he reported to the police on Thursday, saying he had received a message that unless he advised in favour of a pardon for Yorgen Fenech, the magnate would implicate him over two telephone conversations.

Muscat said he had received a message saying that unless he advised in favour of a presidential pardon, “a testimony would be given by Yorgen Fenech to implicate that he had two telephone calls with him some months back.”

Muscat declared that no such calls were ever made.

“This can easily be verified. The Prime Minister already said he met Yorgen Fenech at either social events or at meetings in his role as shareholder of one of the country’s biggest group of companies. The last such encounter was in February 2019.

“The Prime Minister refused an initial request for pardon by Yorgen Fenech following advice by the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner. The Cabinet refused a second request under similar advice after the Prime Minister withdrew from the meeting.”