France, the country which coined the three fundamental words that regulate a democratic society, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, has once again given an example of true equality before the law by delivering a prison sentence to a former president, Nicholas Sarkozy (in office from 2007-12) on charges of corruption. Before him, his former prime minister, François Fillon, was condemned to five years imprisonment because he gave a job to his wife.
I will not go into a discussion of the two French cases because I am sure that, at least as far as the former president is concerned, there will be various appeals. One thing, however, is certain: the French judicial system delivered justice in function of the case at hand and not of the person concerned, despite the fact that the two men held the two highest political positions in the country.
France has given an example of justice to the world. Can our justice system boast of meting out the same treatment?
I wonder how many politicians in Malta would face charges for employing their husbands, wives, children, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, partners or friends in jobs paid by the Maltese taxpayer, not on the basis of their capabilities but on the basis of who they know or are related to. I wonder how many of those politicians would be handed down some punishment, if they actually ever made it to court.
The worst example of this is the self-confessed case of a rogue, who had been handling illegal lotteries and allegedly conniving with corrupt businessmen, politicians and thugs, who was given a job, paid by the Maltese taxpayer, for which he received a salary in exchange for… doing strictly nothing. In France, the person who gave him that job would have gone to prison, following the rules of true equality.
In Malta, Keith Schembri, who handed out that job, runs around scot-free, loses an irretrievable telephone containing mysteriously irretrievable messages, is interrogated by the police and is set free every time without any real explanation and seems to be enjoying more liberty than you and me. His direct boss, Joseph Muscat, who, as the former disgraced prime minister of Malta is directly responsible for this shambles, not only runs around the island but takes business trips and holiday jaunts around half the world with no one in authority asking how and where he obtained the money to afford them.
Nobody asks questions about amassed fortunes of developers who are systematically destroying our towns and countryside.
We are told that a politician who, according to the idiomatic expression was caught with her ‘pants down’ for having received undeclared money for her services, has “temporarily resigned”. A fine example of misuse of the English language (one does not ‘temporarily’ resign, one either resigns or is suspended).
If the ability to speak English correctly matched the fantasy and inventiveness shown by our politicians in their statements, the quality of their language would be better than the British queen’s. Instead, it is not only the level of English that is generally abysmal in our country but, more seriously, the level of truth.
One of the definitions of truth is that of being in accord with reality.
Our politicians have unfailingly tried to hide reality from us, the latest scandalous example being the vote taken in parliament not to divulge the report concerning the unlawful retention of journalists against their will at Castille (Times of Malta has since published the report).
Malta is very far off from enjoying the level of democracy that is experienced in other countries of Europe- Vicki Ann Cremona
In other cases, they pretend to be holier-than-thou, as in the case of not wanting to divulge their earnings to independent media such as The Shift, seizing some loophole in the law as a pretext.
Lately, a member of the opposition took sides with the very developers who are massacring our country, in the wake of a former politician who resigned her post and accepted their paycheck.
And what about Robert Abela who concurs with the commissioner of police that, now, everyone responsible for the death of Daphne Caruana Galizia has been caught? When will our politicians stop taking us for fools?
Malta is very far off from enjoying the level of democracy that is experienced in other countries of Europe where politicians are truly answerable to the people.
A step in the right direction to attain this was taken by the Maltese people when they voted to be part of the European family, aiming for standards that are prevalent in other European countries and that we Maltese also have the right to benefit from.
Many, including myself, voted for Europe because they despaired of ever achieving truth and justice by relying on Maltese institutions alone, which had completely overturned fairness and democracy in our youth and young adulthood.
The situation is far more complex nowadays but certainly even more insidious and, ultimately, dangerous.
However, the more our institutions continue to fail us, the more we, as civil society, will continue to fight until we reach the levels of justice and democracy that we rightfully aspire to, in line with European ideals.
To do this, we will hesitate before no politician or party.
Vicki Ann Cremona is member, Repubblika.