Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo was recently grilled by journalist Tim Sebastian about Malta's failure to tackle corruption and the response to Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination.
Here are 10 takeaways from the interview:
1) On cleaning up Malta’s reputation
Bartolo says he made it clear when appointed as foreign minister to clean up Maltese reputation that he could not perform miracles.
“When I was appointed foreign minister, I made it very clear I am not a beautician or a plastic surgeon".
"If there are ugly things, which have to be dealt with, they have to be dealt with in Malta, in terms or reality and not of the presentation of reality”.
2) On his ‘survival strategy’
The foreign minister was continually challenged during the 26-minute interview about his decision to stay on in government, despite all the corruption.
“I had a survival strategy where I could fight another battle. We used that experience together with Godfrey Farrugia, the former party whip, to negotiate things to make the government more accountable”.
3) On Joseph Muscat
Bartolo tells Tim Sebastian he was adamant with prime minister Joseph Muscat from the start of the Panama Papers scandal in 2016 that those involved should go.
“I made it clear to him in 2016 that it was going to be in his interest to take the necessary steps against those people in government who were involved in the Panama Papers. He didn't, and he paid a huge price for it."
4) On personal networks
Here, Bartolo gives a frank assessment about how personal networks in Malta often prove stronger than institutions.
“One of the big problems that we have is that in a small society, personal networks, personal relations are strong than institutional ones…Unfortunately, the rule of family or the rule of friends is stronger than the rule of law. This is an issue we need to deal with”.
5) On his ultimatum
Matters came to a head for the minister in November, when links between journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder and the top echelons of power began to emerge.
“When the news started coming out in November, I made it very clear I was going to resign. I said, either they go or I go. I made enough pressure for them to go…”
“We are at an existential crossroads since our independence 55 years ago. We either get our house in order or we threaten our sovereignty or livelihood in Malta”.
Evarist Bartolo was conspicuous by his absence in a photo taken after an urgent cabinet meeting was called in November. Photo: Ivan Martin6) On the economic crimes unit
Bartolo did not beat around the bush when assessing the economic crime unit’s ability to prosecute criminals.
“The weakest link in the chain is the economic crimes unit of the police. Unless that is beefed up and really resources with well qualified people of integrity, this problem will remain.
“Ultimately, we will be judged on how many people are prosecuted”.
7) On his cryptic Facebook posts
Tim Sebastian pushed Bartolo several times to “names names” and indicate where all the bodies are buried.
The journalist also took the minister to task over his cryptic Facebook posts.
Bartolo flatly denied holding back any knowledge of potential crimes committed by the government.
“If there is anyone who has not taken a vow of silence, it is me. I have spoken up, time and time again…I will keep on pushing for all the truth to come out”.
8) On the ‘tainted’ murder investigation
The foreign minister hit back at Sebastian’s assessment about the Daphne Caruana Galizia investigations being tainted from the very start.
“It did give results. One important point in all this is that there are other services involved, including Europol.
So even if there are elements who want to cover up, that information is available to the force beyond Malta, so that is a good guarantee that the whole truth will come out.
Evarist Bartolo said he was happy that the memorial to Daphne Caruana Galizia has been left undisturbed, and hopes that there will be a monument to her. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier9) On Daphne’s blog
Reading out from Caruana Galizia blog, Sebastian confronted the minister with the journalist’s assessment that if he were decent and honest, he would not have stuck with the Labour party since the 1970s.
“I don’t agree with that comment. I respect what she has done, but I think she was very prejudiced against me…I did in my own little, I did what I could to try and change things since I entered politics”.
10) On the ‘Daphne monument’
Towards the end of the interview, Bartolo was asked about Labour’s dehumanisation campaign against Caruana Galizia, which continued even after her death.
The minister deplored posts in a closed Labour Facebook group celebrating her death and portraying her as a witch.
“I am at least happy, in the last month, even the national monument where there is a memorial for her, has not been disturbed. I really hope that very nearby there will be a monument to her, for the work she did on investigating corruption”.