[WATCH] 'Tragedy' could have been avoided if Muscat had fired Schembri and Mizzi – Mario de Marco

Mario de Marco has called for the Prime Minister’s immediate resignation, and said protests will continue to take place until justice is served.

Speaking on TVM’s Xtra in a heated debate with Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Silvio Schembri, the Shadow Minister for Finance bemoaned the fact that the current ongoing “tragedy” could have been avoided if only Joseph Muscat would have fired Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi in 2016.

“Their retention led to a sense of impunity which created the climate that led to the assassination – engineered by individuals from inside Castille”, de Marco insisted.

The Nationalist MP argued that the investigation has arrived to this stage “in spite of Muscat’s presence, rather than because of him”, and declared that his refusal to step down immediately is an obstacle in its path.

“As long as Muscat remains, justice cannot be delivered, since any investigation would be overshadowed by his presence”, de Marco stressed.

However, Schembri noted that this case has only progressed so far thanks to Muscat and his decision to grant Melvin Theuma a presidential pardon in exchange for the latter’s testimony.

Furthermore, Schembri argued that the true culprits are those who “betrayed the Labour Party and used it for their own ends”, but said that Muscat is shouldering the political responsibility for the mistake he made by choosing to keep them in their positions.

At one point, de Marco turned his guns on Schembri himself, reminding the Labour MP that his loyalty should be to the country rather than to the Party.

“Schembri was one of those who gave a vote of confidence to Konrad Mizzi despite knowing he had a secret account in Panama; he gave a vote of confidence to Muscat last Sunday; he is as guilty as Muscat for all the harm that is happening to our country”, de Marco said.

The Parliamentary Secretary insisted that his only loyalty is to the ideals enshrined by the Malta Labour Party as opposed to any institution.

Schembri also claimed that there are some within the Nationalist Party who are not truly interested in justice but are merely after the Prime Minister’s head, questioning why there were no protests being held when Yorgen Fenech was taken to court.

“We know the faces of Nationalist supporters”, Schembri declared, adding that the individuals who attacked him and his colleagues when they were exiting parliament were not genuine protestors.

In concluding, de Marco reiterated his stance that Musact needs to do the right thing and resign at once, for the good of the country as well as to allow the investigation to carry on unhindered.

“Once Muscat is gone, the process of justice can begin to take place”, de Marco argued.

Schembri, on his part, insisted that “everyone who needs to be investigated shall be investigated”.

In a parting shot, Silvio Schembri hit out at Mario de Marco telling him that his firm had no problem representing Yorgen Fenech and accepting his money. De Marco replied and told Schembri that this was uncalled for because everybody had a right to a defence.