Updated at 2.40pm with PN's statement
Robert Abela has said he wants a magisterial inquiry into offshore company 17 Black made public, saying he would like to see more transparency when it comes to such inquiries.
Likening the current system to “the Inquisition”, the Prime Minister implied that an upcoming reform of magisterial inquiries would allow for the “process” of such inquiries to also be published, along with its conclusions.
The prime minister was speaking during a phone call interview on ONE’s programme Paperscan on Sunday, after the Nationalist Party vowed to go to war should Abela try to “manipulate” the 17 Black inquiry.
Robert Abela speaking on Sunday. (mp3 file)
Without naming the inquiry itself, Abela said the PN was maliciously trying to imply that current members of the Labour Party were implicated in the case.
A years-long magisterial inquiry into 17 Black was concluded and passed on to the Attorney General this week.
Former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, former minister Konrad Mizzi, Electrogas shareholder Paul Apap Bologna, Nexia BT’s bosses and Azeri oil giant Socar are among those expected to face charges.
It is yet unclear what the charges will be, but the inquiry was centred around plans by 17 Black to pay money to Schembri and Mizzi via secretive offshore structures in Panama.
The Nationalist Party called on the Attorney General to publish the conclusions so that people could know “who stole millions from them”.
On Sunday, Abela said the conclusions of all magisterial inquiries should be published in full “at the request of the Attorney General, and not the request of the Nationalist Party.”
Above and beyond that, the government also wants to shed public light on the way in which inquiries are handled.
As things currently stand, magisterial inquiries are highly secretive and never published unless leaked. In some exceptional cases, the attorney general has published redacted parts of inquiry conclusions.
“Should the process of a magisterial inquiry be kept in such secrecy?” Abela asked.
He said the planned reform would also extend rights given to criminal suspects following proposals made by lawyer and former MP Franco Debono to subjects of inquiries.
Those rights were only provided within criminal settings, not inquiry ones, he said without elaborating.
Last month, Abela ordered justice minister Jonathan Attard to reform the current system of magisterial inquiries, saying he wanted to stop people from “abusing the system”.
The order came after former MP Jason Azzopardi filed an urgent request for a magisterial inquiry into an alleged criminal racket involving Camilleri and his wife.
The lawyer had also asked the courts to order an investigation into various land deals involving the Lands Authority and its CEO Robert Vella.
Opposition continuously attacking politicians
Criticising the Nationalist Party, Abela said the one thing the Opposition was consistent with last year was their “negativity”, especially during the Christmas festive season. He pointed out how the Opposition not only attacked politicians, but also their families and partners.
Abela said the PN attacked both Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and Economy Minister Silvio Schembri and their families last month.
Magisterial inquiries are not intended to be used as political weapons, yet that is the way the PN use them, he said.
“The Nationalist Party decided this is the way they want to run their politics. Then they get annoyed when I announce a reform for magisterial inquiries. Magisterial inquiries will remain, but in the past few months we worked on several reforms to ensure there are no abuses in the process.”
Abela said that while the Opposition is focused on throwing “everyone in prison”, the government focuses on policies which improve the public’s lives.
2025 a year of reforms to improve the public’s quality of life
On a different note, Abela took the time to explain the number of reforms the government will be working on this year to focus on the needs of the people. He referred to the Budget measures, such as the announced tax cuts, increase in children’s allowance and pensions, which will make a substantial difference for families and the elderly.
He mentioned families and businesses will continue to have their energy bill subsidised, and how this year will see the introduction of the Labour Migration Policy. He said the document will be presented for a public consultation in the “days to come”.
PN: Abela wants to stop magistrates' inquiries as he is bound by a 'diabolical deal'
In a statement, the Nationalist Party said Abela wants to change Malta's laws regarding how magistrates' inquiries are conducted as he is committed to do so as part of a "diabolical deal" he entered into with his predecessor- Joseph Muscat.
"With his comments this morning, Robert Abela confirmed that he is terrified of the truth and justice because he knows that, like his predecessor, he is leading a Government riddled with corruption, with one Minister after another being implicated in serious cases of corruption, abuse of power, and misconduct," the statement read.
The PN once again called for the publication of the Magistrates' Inquiry into the company 17 Black and the Panama Papers.