A coalition of NGOs join Repubblika in a national demonstration in Valletta following recent developments in the hospitals scandal
Civil society demonstrates in Valletta
20:50 | Thankyou & Goodnight!
Thanks for following our live blog from civil society’s national protest in Valletta tonight. Julian Delia (The Critical Angle Project) and Michael Kaden (NEWZ.mt) wish you a good night.
20:20 | Robert Aquilina (Repubblika)
Aquilina spoke about Muscat’s manipulation of the institutions, citing Repubblika’s long history of court cases as examples of the wins that civil society has managed to achieve in spite of this manipulation. He spoke about the upcoming criminal prosecution of Muscat and his former associates in the Vitals case, describing today’s events “as a huge step towards building a country that is free of the mafia’s grip” on the institutions.
He called out prime minister Robert Abela for succumbing to Muscat’s pressure, repeating and enforcing Muscat’s attacks on the judiciary. To great applause from the crowd, he thanked journalists for their role in holding Abela accountable.
“For their work, Abela and Muscat turned their guns on them, turning them into enemies of the people in the same way they did with Daphne”, Aquilina said.
“It is our duty to defend those who fight for justice”, he said, referring to state functionaries within the AG’s office and within the police force who are trying to fulfill their duty in spite of political pressure.
Aquilina spoke about “the grave danger” the country is in, and called on the country’s citizens to echo tonight’s call and fight for a cleaner country.
He contrasted this with the Labour government’s fake patriotism, turning their electoral slogan “Malta first” on its head and arguing the government is in fact doing the opposite.
“Those who really love the country are calling for truth and justice”.
Julian Delia
20:09 | Luke Bonanno (KSU)
Luke Bonanno spoke about how the prime minister is ignoring something as basic as the separation of powers while trying to force us all to do the same, particularly calling out the prime minister for defending Central Bank governor Edward Scicluna.
Scicluna is facing widespread calls for his resignation following his inclusion in the long list of individuals facing criminal charges following the conclusion of the Vitals inquiry.
Bonanno also called out Abela for parroting his party’s narrative, alluding to “those around him” who are controlling what he’s saying (this is understood as a reference to Muscat). He called for the country to stand up for its future and insisted that the prime minister must listen to the Maltese people.
Julian Delia
19:54 | Vicki Ann Cremona (Repubblika)
The president of NGO Repubblika, Vicki Ann Cremona, spoke about how hospitals must absolutely be the best we can possibly have. Instead of rewarding nurses for their efforts during the COVID pandemic, “Joseph Muscat and his clique sold them down the river and abandoned the hospitals, those hospitals became pigeon coops now”.
“They sold our hospitals to fraudsters who knew nothing about hospitals but knew a lot about how to steal money from all of us”, Cremona said.
She spoke about Steward Healthcare’s ongoing bankruptcy woes, adding that while Steward’s executives gobbled up taxpayer money, the quality of care in our hospitals declined and suffered as a result.
“Is this what we are supposed to thank Joseph Muscat for? Was this the real deal they boasted about so much?”, Cremona asked.
“If they’re not fools, then they must be thieves, because they stole €400 million from us, from patients who need treatment – Shame!”
Julian Delia
19:48 | Robert Louis Fenech (Moviment Graffitti)
Thanking everyone who kept the fight for justice alive over the years, Robert Louis Fenech expressed how it was only thanks to the unity demonstrated by civil society that we have arrived at such a crucial stage of the hospitals concession.
As for the prime minister? A resounding “Let the institutions work!”
He called out the prime minister for attacking the pillars of democracy which are beyond Abela’s control, stating that “the fraudsters who orchestrated the deal must never be considered as sacred cows”
The Moviment Graffitti activist dissected the government’s nareative about rhe hospitals deal, recalling how Graffitti has always stood against “the privatisation scam” that the deal turned out to be.
He quoted Muscat’s repeated public denials of fraud and wrongdoing, arguing that for the countty to recover from such a crisis, only justice and sccountabulity can be the way forward.
Julian Delia
19:37 | Sarah Xuereb (KNŻ)
“Here we are again in front of the law courts, in this continuous battle for justice. We may all look different, but we all believe in the same thing – the belief that our country is in turmoil and that we musr work together for the greater good of our country”, Sarah Xuereb said.
Xuereb, who crossed over from Gozo to make her way tk the protest, also spoke about the attacks on the judiciary and the free press, describing loyalty towards political parties that is devoid of critical thought is the root of the country’s systemic problems.
She insisted on the need for equity for all in the eyes of the law, arguing that an adversarial relationship with the courts will only spell trouble for Malta’s weak democracy.
Addressing younger members of the audience, she encouraged her peers to take action during this ongoing crisis and to not hold back from “becoming the change the country needs”.
Julian Delia
19:26 | Norman Vella
Norman Vella spoke about how he hopes his case against Joseph Muscat surrounding his dismissal from PBS will be representative of all those who want to fight back against all discrimination in any circumstance, irrespective of who one might be and where they may come from.
“We must all unite and say no, that we will not bow our heads to power”, Vella said.
Julian Delia
19:17 | Pia Zammit (Occupy Justice)
“[Daphne] was right then, she is right now, and she will be right in the future. Her words count, as all words do, like the words of our prime minister Robert Abela. The prime minister created a new boogeyman – the establishment – to hide the damage his government has caused”, said Pia Zammit.
She called out Abela for attempting to intimidate the judiciary and accusing them of political terrorism.
Pia Zammit mocked disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s provocative, abusive language towards the Labour Party’s critics, arguing that their violent rhetoric is dangerous and must be addressed accordingly.
Julian Delia
19:05 | Megan Mallia
“What would Daphne say if she were here? It’s something I’ve been thinking aboit for the last six year”, asks Megan Mallia.
She spoke about how it took over a decade for her aunt Daphne’s reporting to lead to the criminal charges we are witnessing today. It’s insane how she was here one moment and she was murdered the next because thise crooks couldn’t silence her any other way. They still haven’t silenced her, because look at where we are now.’
Julian Delia
19:03 | Watch the livestream
19:00 | NEWZ Special
18:40 | The march begins
As protesters began their march towards the court, they chanted familiar slogans from previous vigils in Daphne’s memory, shouting “justice”, “prison”, and “let’s unite for a cleaner Malta”.
18:26 | Robert Aquilina
“We will not accept this fascist behaviour”, says Robert Aquilina about the attacks on judiciary and journalists.
Earlier today, Repubblika president-elect Robert Aquilina resolutely condemned prime minister Robert Abela’s ‘fascist attack’ on the judiciary and the independent press.
Aquilina was speaking to NEWZ.mt shortly before a major protest organised by over 20 civil society organisations. The protest was called shortly after disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat and several former high-ranking government executives were formally charged with aggravated money laundering and a host of other linked financial crimes.
18:25 | Good evening
We’re in Valletta where activists and supporters of around 17 NGOs are gathering for a national demonstration amid the ongoing political crisis. Julian Delia (The Critical Angle Project) and Michael Kaden (NEWZ.mt) will update you in this live blog throughout the evening.
