Prime Minister Robert Abela was confronted by reporters. How tenable is Joseph Muscat’s position in view of the shocking revelations in court? Abela replied drily: “Joseph Muscat is only an MP.”

Evidence in court revealed that Muscat communicated regularly with Yorgen Fenech on a private WhatsApp group the two of them shared with chief of staff Keith Schembri.

According to testimony, Muscat maintained the secret communication with Fenech even while the latter was being investigated for serious crime and 17 Black. The links of 17 Black to Konrad Mizzi, Schembri, the Mozura windfarm and the LNG tanker are all well documented.

Fenech also claimed that Muscat summoned him to Castille, had asked him whether Schembri was mentioned in Melvin Theuma’s recordings and asked him to control Theuma.

That Muscat is a devious and dishonest wheeler-dealer who conspired with people under criminal investigation to hijack the country’s government was revealed by his own finance minister.

But the real question posed to Abela is simple. In the face of such deceit by Muscat, what action will he take?

For Muscat is not only an MP as Abela disingenuously claims. He is the former prime minister and former leader of Abela’s party who still wields enormous power through his huge support. He was still advising the same Abela, still striding into Castille, still lobbying for Steward until very recently.

As the focus shifts onto Abela, the man has crumbled. Abela stuttered and resorted to Muscat’s own mantra to justify his inaction and feebleness: “Muscat is not being investigated for any crime.”

Muscat spent years using the same excuse to shield his own MP Konrad Mizzi and his chief of staff Keith Schembri, against the advice of the majority of his parliamentary group. “They are not being investigated, they did not commit any crime.”

It is now Abela’s turn to shield his MP Muscat with the same lame and pathetic excuse. For Abela, like Muscat before him, only a criminal conviction should disqualify an MP.

Abela’s inaction is dragging the whole parliament, indeed the whole of politics, down to the lowest of standards. The absence of a criminal conviction is sufficient eligibility to remain a Labour MP, according to the PM.

Muscat repeatedly condoned Mizzi’s serious transgressions, his dodgy offshore financial structures, his failure to notify the tax department and his brazen abuse of power.

Now Abela condones Muscat’s consorting with the alleged mastermind of a horrific assassination, his bypassing of cabinet colleagues to enable corrupt deals and his persistent undermining of good governance.

Muscat shielded Mizzi to protect his co-conspirators and conceal his own involvement. Abela shields Muscat to protect himself.

Abela knows that Muscat has betrayed the Labour Party and the country. But he is too weak to act against the overbearing former prime minister and his league of supporters, too afraid to lose his own support.

In his opportunistic political calculations, the right decision is sacrificed at the altar of popularity ratings.

Muscat’s persistent and self-serving inaction over Mizzi and Schembri led to his downfall. Abela’s protection and endorsement of Muscat will lead to his.

Abela’s reputation is immediately wrecked. Instead of a trustworthy, inspirational young leader of integrity, honesty and courage who has turned a new leaf, we are burdened with a stooge who condones the filthiest and most abhorrent behaviour of his own MP.

Abela bragged that he always allowed the institutions to work without interference. Only dictators and autocrats interfere with institutions, usually in countries that lack democracy.

Abela condones Muscat’s consorting with the alleged mastermind of a horrific assassination- Kevin Cassar

It is no admirable feat for a prime minister of a European Union state not to interfere with their institutions – and nothing to boast about. Indeed, interfering with their institutions is criminal.

Yet in the same week, Abela has interfered with the Daphne Caruana Galizia inquiry by imposing a ridiculously tight time limit. Abela has decided that the inquiry, which Muscat resisted for so long, must be concluded by December and that there will be no further extensions.

When the world’s eyes are closely watching developments in this case, hot on the heels of the recent court judgment in Slovakia, Abela intervenes to limit the time for the inquiry and at the same time continues to shield his disgraced predecessor.

But rather than protecting the country and its reputation, Abela protects Muscat and his co-conspirators by limiting the opportunity for more shocking revelations to emerge in the inquiry.

Instead of demonstrating to the nation and to the world that the public inquiry has all the time and resources to complete its task of revealing the truth, Abela moves to restrict its freedom.

In so doing he represents the state which is seen to act to conceal its guilt and that of its former premier and to protect the dark forces that were allowed to operate under Muscat.

The real question for Abela relates to honesty. The toughest test comes when he must take action that is unpopular but right. Abela has faced his test and failed.

As Jean Jacques Rousseau stated: “Those who desire to treat politics and morals separately will never understand anything of either.”

After the disgraceful and tragic period that was Muscat’s premiership, the practice of Maltese politics not only can but must be reconciled with the imperatives of honesty.

Abela must not only detach himself from the dishonourable legacy of his predecessor but must be seen to detach his party, and more importantly the country, from Muscat’s shameful burden of guilt.

Only then can the soul of the nation be redeemed.

Kevin Cassar, professor of surgery and former PN candidate.