Life must seem pretty bleak for Robert Abela these days. His authority has been completely eroded. Everything he does, every ‘tough’ action he tries to take makes him look weaker, ever more isolated, ever more detached. He’s all bark and no bite. If there was any doubt about Abela’s feebleness, Edward Scicluna’s saga certainly dispelled it.
On July 25, Abela, the tough guy, was on the rampage. He openly threatened Scicluna that if he didn’t resign by the following week, “naturally, a decision will have to be taken. The cabinet is going to meet next Tuesday”.
Abela left no doubt what he expected of Scicluna. He told him, publicly, he should follow the example of Ronald Mizzi, former permanent secretary to Konrad Mizzi. Ronald Mizzi tendered his resignation just 24 hours earlier after being indicted for fraud and misappropriation – the very same crimes Scicluna faces.
Mizzi didn’t step aside. He stepped down. He didn’t “temporarily suspend” himself – he ended his service. And he relinquished his salary. That’s what Mizzi did. That’s exactly what Abela ordered Scicluna to do.
To demonstrate how serious he was, Abela informed the nation he was sacking Scicluna from his position at the MFSA the following day. He wanted to intimidate Scicluna. Sure enough, the next day a terse notice in The Malta Government Gazette announced that Scicluna had been sacked.
Feeling pleased with himself, Abela thought Scicluna would be a walkover. He thought humiliating Scicluna publicly would crush him. Faced with the mighty strength of the bodybuilder prime minister, the quiet academic would surely capitulate.
But, on July 28, Joseph Muscat stepped in to the ring, intent on stirring the pot. He warned Abela’s cabinet that trying to force Scicluna out “could be in breach of the law”. Such a step Muscat incited “will likely be found to be illegal”. “Moreover,” Muscat commented cynically, “it is an insensitive political position towards a person who provided many years of his life to the country.”
Muscat was intent on remotely inciting a cabinet revolt against Abela. His message to his former cabinet ministers and MPs was – Abela is a ruthless bully who won’t think twice before publicly humiliating even those who gave so much to our party. It might be your turn next.
For Scicluna, Muscat’s intervention was like manna from heaven – or, at least, from a fellow accused.
Scicluna took Muscat’s cue. “I took legal counsel when it became apparent that I was going to be relieved of my duties because that would have been illegal.”
Scicluna made it clear he wasn’t going anywhere. He declared publicly he was ready to fight any attempt to remove him, in the courts, through the European Central Bank and the European Court of Justice.
So, when Tuesday came, Abela was cornered. He expected to sack Scicluna swiftly and move on. Instead, that cabinet meeting dragged on for hours. Scicluna was invited to Castille. A triumvirate of Abela’s most senior ministers – Ian Borg, Owen Bonnici and Michael Falzon – were tasked to persuade Scicluna to resign quietly. But Scicluna was having none of it.
After long hours of negotiations, the manful Abela emerged bruised and battered. In what must be one of his most humiliating U-turns, Abela dragged himself down the stairs of Castille to tell the nation the man he threatened to sack just days earlier, “has not been sacked”. Scicluna, Abela declared, is “temporarily stepping aside”. And that wasn’t Abela’s decision, it was Scicluna’s.
Scicluna made it abundantly clear – “I will remain governor until the end of my term.” Entirely humiliated, Abela admitted: “Scicluna was not sacked. Scicluna took the decision which showed his integrity and moral behaviour.”
Abela was forced to swallow his pride.
Joseph Muscat was intent on remotely inciting a cabinet revolt against Robert Abela- Kevin Cassar
“I admire the decision he took,” Abela commented about Scicluna, “…and for that I thank him and I am grateful that he considered the national interest.”
Abela the strongman turned out to be a miserable wimp. Not only did he fail to live up to his threats and sack Scicluna but he ended up sucking up to the man, praising him to high heavens: “Scicluna’s decision has increased his level of integrity and his decision rises above the standards expected of him.”
To make matters worse, Abela announced “the terms of Scicluna’s employment will not change”. Scicluna would continue to draw his €12,000 per month salary.
That was a step too far. The whole country was livid. A man accused of enabling the theft of millions of euros from taxpayers would now be paid €12,000 per month from the same taxpayers while staying home for the rest of his term. The backlash was fierce.
Abela tried to turn the whole debacle into a small political victory. He sprinted to Lovin Malta to give them an exclusive interview. With great fanfare, he announced that “Scicluna will only receive half his salary”.
Instead of €138,000, Scicluna would only get €70,000 for staying at home. “Professor Scicluna agreed to be treated in the same manner as other civil servants with pending criminal procedures,” Abela announced. How considerate.
But Scicluna didn’t even let that pass. He was determined to wipe the floor with Abela. He contacted Times of Malta to rubbish Abela’s claims.
Scicluna pointed out that he hadn’t agreed to anything.
It was he who actually offered to have his salary “slashed by half during his temporary self-suspension”.
“I discussed this with my family,” Scicluna commented, “we decided we should make enquiries… on what happens when a member of the civil service faces criminal charges. I offered the prime minister to have my salary reduced by half.”
Scicluna wasn’t going to let Abela take credit for anything. He was intent on exposing Abela for the stuttering weakling he is.
The tough guy who threatened to sack him one day was pitifully grovelling to him and praising him for his integrity the next.
Abela remains in office but not in power. The vultures are already circling. Jason Micallef, pushed by Muscat, had, at one point, intended to run for deputy leader. And the rats are fleeing the sinking ship – Aleander Balzan, Abela’s policy consultant, and Glenn Micallef, his chief of staff, have both resigned within days.
Abela is finished.
Kevin Cassar is a professor of surgery.