Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo recently attacked the European Parliament for overwhelmingly passing a motion expressing ‘deep concern’ about the current situation in Malta on several levels, including the investigations into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the role of the Maltese state.
The minister claimed that 635 members of that Parliament had been duped by representatives of the PN and those determined to ‘do down’ Malta. But he went further by asserting that the parliament ‘picked’ on Malta because it is a small nation and that it would never attack larger states guilty of far greater failings.
In this latter assertion, the minister was being entirely and knowingly dishonest. The EU Parliament and the Commission has strongly criticised larger countries including Germany, France (and my own, Ireland) for failures related to tax, financial controls, business regulation, golden passport schemes etc.
But this was irrelevant to Bartolo and of no interest to the (domestic) audience he was addressing.
The minister was engaging in the now default tactic of this and previous regimes of blaming others for Malta’s entirely self-inflicted wounds while simultaneously invoking a primitive nationalism to rally domestic unthinking support.
As a tactic, it is currently effective and has been routinely employed by would-be autocrats across Europe and beyond. In this context I am reminded of the comment of that celebrated English super-nationalist Winston Churchill linking scoundrels and nationalism.
A parallel dishonesty currently widespread in Malta (and elsewhere) is the frequent attempt to divert focus from current corruption and criminality with reference to the supposed higher levels of earlier regimes, especially those of the now opposition.
This elevates dishonesty to yet another level in that it asserts earlier criminality somehow mediates or negates current criminality. Attempting to outdo political rivals in claims of levels of corruption is hardly a hallmark of good governance.
The current regime demands the EU take it seriously as a partner while simultaneously refusing to do likewise
These realities have presented Malta with a deepening existential crisis. If the party faithful continue to choose spin and outright lies over reality while others choose indifference and silence, the country’s reputation and credibility in Europe and beyond will continue to spiral downwards.
Attacking the institutions of the EU, supposed local ‘traitors or even vengeful foreigners is ultimately self-destructive madness.
This rejection of reality is not simply a harmless choice devoid of consequence. When transferred into contemporary international politics on a grander scale it apes the ingrained dismissal of facts by Trump, Johnson, Putin, Bolsonaro and Modi.
The consequences of such an approach can be readily seen.
When we choose to ignore evidence and facts (or when we insist we are waiting for the ‘full facts’) all appreciation for truth and lies evaporates.
We are simply left with suffocating dishonesty.
If unchallenged, this points the way to autocracy: if truth has no place in political life nothing the party or the leader asserts is open to effective contradiction. Leadership is not earned it is simply assumed.
The current crises of ingrained corruption coupled with impunity and a deliberate lack of transparency is suffocating Malta. It continues to fuel the long-running idea that the country is a byword for dishonesty and is irredeemably corrupt.
It feeds the superficial belief that this is the way the Maltese are and have been over time and there is little that can be done about it. The insistence of the current government and the opposition that the abusive golden passports scheme should continue despite the growing criticism from the EU illustrates the point.
The current regime demands the EU take it seriously as a partner while simultaneously refusing to do likewise.
An electoral stamp of approval for such a regime risks elevating dishonesty and duplicity to a dominant national trait.
Eventually all of us (including many outside Malta) will pay a high price for what has become the country’s daily business.