Cassola, Repubblika slam prime minister’s ethics reform ‘threat’
Robert Abela expressed concern about ethics probe 'abuse'
Momentum chair Arnold Cassola and NGO Repubblika have slammed a “threat” by Prime Minister Robert Abela to clamp down on “frivolous” ethics complaints filed against MPs.
Abela said in a November 2023 letter that changes to the law regulating the Standards Commissioner’s functions may be needed in the wake of “frivolous” complaints filed by Cassola.
The correspondence only came to light on Thursday after Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi dismissed an ethics complaint by Cassola about Abela’s defence of the Transport Malta driving license racket.
In a letter to the Standards Commissioner in response to the complaint, Abela said he was concerned that the Standards Act was being abused by Cassola.
“It is abundantly clear that numerous frivolous complaints are being submitted because, at present, the law does not impose sanctions.
“I understand that if such abuse continues, the remedy must be legislative,” Abela said.
Cassola filed a complaint in October 2023 over Abela’s defence of a “corrupt system” which saw ministers and Labour Party insiders request special treatment for preferred candidates sitting for their driving tests.
Times of Malta revealed how a Transport Malta racket to help candidates obtain a driving licence led straight to Ian Borg, who was transport minister at the time.
In his ruling, the Commissioner dismissed Abela’s claims that Cassola’s frequent ethics complaints were an abuse of the law.
The prime minister’s declaration was slammed by both Repubblika and Cassola, who drew parallels with Abela’s justifications for clamping down on the rights of private citizens to trigger magisterial inquiries.
Cassola warned that Abela is sliding down a dangerous path of authoritarianism.
“Like all aspiring political dictators, he is resorting to anti-democratic measures, such as restricting citizens' rights to scrutinise people in power.
“We at Momentum will be on the front line to combat Robert Abela's attack on the democratic institutions of our country", Cassola said.
Repubblika, in turn, accused Abela of doing everything possible to avoid scrutiny.
The NGO said the prime minister has now declared he will “abuse” his parliamentary majority to change a law to benefit himself and his associates.