People in positions of power had committed crimes while under the guise of “being pro-business” and in so doing caused immeasurable damage to Malta’s commercial community, the Malta Chamber has said.

“It was crime not business that led the country to its present predicament,” the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry said in a statement on Saturday.

“The business community and its employees will however bear the huge cost of abusive behaviour of some in the years to come”.  

"It is truly appalling that those in positions of power abuse of their authority to promote, facilitate and conspire in criminal activity, and do so under the guise of being pro-business," the Chamber said. 

It said it was heartened by President George Vella’s Republic Day address, in which he slammed the “gang of people” who had shamed Malta’s reputation and called for all those who had done wrong to be brought to justice.

The Chamber offered its full support to reforms to restore good governance, accountability and the rule of law to the country and said it would be meeting with president Vella to express concern about the situation and “attempts to delay or obstruct justice, mitigate criminal liability and negate political responsibility” by those directly or indirectly implicated.