Civil Society group Repubblika has written to Prime Minister Robert Abela listing  cases of abuse of power by the Muscat government and asking him whether he intends to do anything about them.

The group also enclosed a copy of its manifesto explaining what it expects from the government and from people in public life.

The group pointed out that the prime minister's powers are disproportionate when compared to those in other democratic societies, and the recent past clearly showed how this power could be abused.

"We felt it our duty to stop the abuse of power in the appointment of the judiciary and we are ready to continue fighting so that the Maltese islands will never again have to witness a radical change in public administration every time there is a change in government or of the Prime Minister, and instead of truly competent people, friends or friends of friends are appointed," the group told Dr Abela.

It said it could not understand how Dr Abela was referring to the legacy his predecessor had left.

"Joseph Muscat abused of the power given to him in these sectors as well as in many others. He used it to protect his cronies when they were caught
receiving bribes, and used it to protect his friends and officials when they
manoeuvred in such a way as to obstruct investigations in the assassination of
the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who, as you know, was dehumanised and
demonised even after her death. For two whole years, he resisted the opening of a public inquiry into her assassination, despite Government’s obligations
according to the European Convention. He employed persons in his office who, it
appears, participated in the plot to have the journalist killed. He abused of the
power to select the judiciary. He abused of his power and changed and dismissed permanent heads of public administration. He abused of power when he employed parliamentary members, including yourself, and transformed
parliament into a simple rubber-stamp for the executive powers." 

The group said Dr Muscat 'allowed mafia infiltration' into the Maltese state and 'collaborated with it by weakening the very institutions which could have
impeded this from happening, so that he and his cronies could benefit from
collaboration between persons in government and persons in the criminal world.'

The group told Dr Abela that it expected him to have the courage to clean up public administration from corruption and abuse of power.

"We felt very disappointed when, on the very first day of your taking up your new post, we saw officials suspected of involvement in serious corruption in your office. We want to see you act in consideration of the fact that in 2016, Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri were caught out as having taken serious unethical initiatives, which were an indication, later proved, of corruption and unlawfulness; we want to see you exclude from your cabinet whoever is suspected of corruption or of unethical behaviour."

The group also called for an investigation into the way Electrogas was awarded its power station contract and an inquiry into how public hospitals were privatised.

"Before assuming your role as Prime Minister, you promised that you would
ensure continuity. If this continuity is to mean that you intend to pursue your
predecessor’s corrupt policies, we find this unacceptable, just like the former
Prime Minister’s conduct was unacceptable to us," the group said. 

"We have heard you say that you do not want to repeat past “errors”. If you are
referring to the abuses listed above and others that have not been mentioned
here, we would appreciate hearing from you how you intend to tackle these
issues which are, as yet, unresolved. If you so wish, we assure you that we are
ready to meet with you, and listen to what you intend to do."