Culture Minister Owen Bonnici must resign or be made to step down in light of the three major suspensions within Malta's cultural sector in a matter of weeks, Opposition leader Bernard Grech said on Wednesday.
Speaking on the PN's NET FM radio, Grech said that it was clear that "Bonnici has made a mess of things".
"Not only did he not do anything to protect a victim of abuse but he should have also protected the MPO and culture. Instead, Bonnici tried to hide things, then he tried to control the narrative and now he is trying to blame others. He has something to hide.
"If Prime Minister Robert Abela truly wants to address not just this case but all abuse, he should remove Bonnici," Grech said.
On Wednesday, the culture ministry said the CEO of the Manoel Theatre, Massimo Zammit, has been suspended on half pay, and allegations made against him had been referred to the police.
An official at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra was suspended two weeks ago after he was charged - and admitted - sexual harassment. And last weekend, MPO CEO Sigmund Mifsud was suspended after prosecutors pressed charges against him for attempted tampering of evidence in relation to that sexual harassment scandal.
"The people understand what is happening and are sick of this government. Sometimes we can’t even keep up and it’s thanks to the independent media that these things come out.
"We need to keep Bonnici accountable. They cannot do and say whatever they please. It’s clear that Bonnici cannot keep hiding things," Grech said.
Nomination for president
Referring to the prime minister's comments in an interview to Times of Malta that he would not make former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi president because he was not a unifying figure, Grech said this was "embarrassing" given that Gonzi had made the prime minister's own father, George Abela, head of state.
"Abela thinks everyone is like him – partisan, negative, divisive and vindictive. We need politics that goes beyond this," he said.
The prime minister, Grech went on, should focus on concluding talks on who should be appointed Ombudsman and Standards Commissioner.
He said that despite a fruitful meeting a month ago, Abela had yet to get back to him (Grech) with a position on the names put forward, the PN leader said.
Squandering on budget propaganda
He also criticised Abela for "spending thousands" on promoting the budget.
"The government had to spend thousands to convince people the budget was a good one. Even if you’re on YouTube or Instagram, you get an advert. This is a waste of people’s money. Abela has to control the narrative, push propaganda and pay back those who helped out during the electoral campaign," Grech said.
Describing Abela as "arrogant", Grech said that widespread impunity continues to be the order of the day as a result of arrogance by those in power. This included people like the Attorney General, he said.
Attorney General must explain
"The AG has a duty to explain why she takes certain decisions. There might be instances when she cannot provide details, because that would prejudice a case. But she has a duty to explain her decisions and the justice minister must ensure this happens.
"The Maltese people have a duty to know," he said.