[WATCH] Political commentators agree on the need for radical reforms

Acclaimed author Immanuel Mifsud insists even those who are still in denial need to wake up and accept what is going on in the country.

Appearing on TVM’s Xtra, the author and social commentator spoke of the “incestuous relationship between the Labour government and big business” which has led to this current crisis, before turning his guns on the party-owned media houses.

“The party-owned media houses, with their continuous brainwashing and lying, are in large part to blame for us having arrived at this state of affairs,” Mifsud argued.

The writer also expressed his sympathy with Labour supporters who, he says, have been “doubly betrayed” both as Maltese citizens and as party faithful.

“The state has been taken over, the government has been taken over, but before all this, the Labour party was taken over,” Mifsud declared.

Mifsud’s fellow guest on the programme, former PN Executive Committee Chairman Mark Anthony Sammut, agreed with the former’s assessment of the current situation as being an “unprecedented state of affairs,” claiming that it is Malta’s darkest hour since the foundation of the Republic.

Sammut decried the “culture of impunity” at work in the country, “with a group of people who think they are above the law and feel they can do what they want since they have political protection”.

The politician argued that we can never turn a blind eye to corruption since, as recent events have revealed, it does not only cause economic damage, but can lead to murder.

Furthermore, when probed by show host Saviour Balzan as to the seemingly partisan nature of recent protests, Sammut insisted that these demonstrations are open to all those who are realising what is going on in the country, and who wish to take action against it, irrespective of political preference.

Mifsud, on his part, observed that this crisis is not a victory for either party, but is instead a defeat for the Maltese Republic.

“No one is gaining anything from this,” Mifsud said.

He noted that, while the country needs to start thinking about a new republic and constitution, there is still need for more.

“We need to carry out big, radical changes in the political and social sectors of this country, starting from education all the way to how our political parties are financed,” Mifsud declared.

Sammut agreed, but added the caveat that before any of this takes place, there first needs to be the immediate resignation of the Prime Minister, since his presence is casting a shadow on the investigation and may be an obstacle in the way of justice.