The arraignment of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on corruption charges while a crowd voiced its support for him outside the law courts marked a black day for Malta, PN leader Bernard Grech said.  

“Justice is taking place, but it is still a black day. We would all have preferred that this country did not experience what it went through today" Grech said. It would have been better had Malta not been robbed of €400 million through the fraudulent hospitals deal. It would have been better had Malta's image not been harmed in this way, making it look like it was some sort of jungle where anything could happen, he said.  

Speaking during a Net TV interview, Grech said the people who turned up to support Muscat outside the law courts were deceived and instigated to react in that way to intimidate the magistrate. 

“The responsibility lies with whoever told them to go outside the law courts. It is a clear case of the end justifies the means, that those who want to protect Joseph Muscat at all costs will do so by intimidating the judicial process,” he said. 

He also slammed Prime Minister Robert Abela for protecting his predecessor and for his 'dangerous rhetoric' over the past few days. 

"Where is this so-called trap," Grech asked, referring to Abela's previous claims that the PN was planning a "trap" for Labour supporters attending Tuesday's rally outside the courts.

“As we have seen, even when the leader has changed, the machine stays the same. Changing the leader and their suit is not enough- the system is corrupt,” he said. 

Grech reiterated his warning that a big electoral victory for Abela next month would encourage him to do as he pleased.  

He also argued that now was not a time for a fight between the political parties, but for a fight against the corrupt group that had 'hijacked' Mintoff's workers' party. 

"Mintoff's party was a party for the workers, those who suffered and risked their life to put food on the table," he said. But that party had been turned into a machine intent on gathering a large enough majority to do what it wanted. 

"My appeal is that if we are to save this country, everyone, Nationalists, Labourites, and those who are in the middle, must come together to change Malta," he said.