True, it hit the headlines, but is anybody surprised to read that Malta fell 10 places to stand at its lowest-ever position in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), ranking 65th?
If the rule of law is weakened, impunity prevails, institutions are undermined, the justice system is near collapse, and transparency and accountability are mere empty words, the end result can hardly be any different.
Civil society, the independent media and even constituted bodies have been warning that something is very rotten in the state of Denmark.
Murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s final warning shortly before she was blown up in her car ended up being literally written on the wall: “There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate.”
That ‘desperate’ situation is what led to her cowardly assassination; and to a political earthquake that included the resignation of a prime minister, a top minister and a chief of staff. It also gave rise to a public inquiry that highlighted many loopholes and dangerous practices, which, if not outrightly desired were certainly allowed to persist at the highest seat of power: Castille.
Sadly, corruption in Malta is ubiquitous to the extent that it’s almost institutionalised.
No wonder, Malta scored 46 out of 100 in the 2024 edition of the corruption perceptions index, the first time going below 50 since it first featured in 2012.
The index measures perceived levels of public sector corruption. This includes bribes or resorting to political connections to secure government contracts or obtain licences.
Of course, fighting corruption is not an easy task. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development says corruption is a “moving target that requires constant adaptation”.
It, therefore, urges governments and businesses “to consistently manage risks and step up the fight to halt corrupt practices”.
The EU describes the consequences of corruption: “It deepens inequalities, erodes citizens’ trust in public institutions, undermines good governance and social justice, and constitutes a serious threat to the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental rights.”
That is the reality Malta and its people have been living as scandals keep being exposed.
It is disheartening to see the country’s authorities turning a blind eye to corrupt practices, or even resorting to cover-ups, especially when high-profile officials are involved, rather than confronting the issue head-on and dismantling the culture of impunity.
Perpetrators and those bound by law to investigate wrongdoing and prosecute criminals are protected and, hence, ‘bought’.
We continue speaking about the need to provide greater resources and autonomy to the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to pursue corruption cases effectively.
Why do we have to continue speaking about delayed justice and more transparent judicial processes?
The best the government can do is pay lip service, employ rhetoric and speak of reforms that change nothing.
It has given its nihil obstat to corrupt practices. Corruption has been corrupted.
Just like a medical professional who recommends a plastic surgeon when a patient complains of dark skin on his leg, probably caused by gangrene, this government prefers to control the release of information and hinder the search for the truth.
Malta’s decline in the Corruption Perceptions Index is not just a statistic or merely a ‘perception’.
It is a reflection of a broken system that rewards impunity and punishes integrity.