Rosianne Cutajar’s resignation was a mature decision that put the public interest above her own, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Sunday.
Addressing a political activity organised by the Labour Party in Rabat, Abela praised Cutajar’s decision to offer her resignation pending an investigation into her alleged business dealing with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech.
Cutajar announced on Thursday that she had decided to step down as parliamentary secretary until Standards Commissioner George Hyzler finalises an investigation into a Times of Malta report on her having acted as a broker for a €3.1million property deal involving Fenech.
“Rosianne put the public’s interest above her own, at a time when she was working on important reforms. She decided, in a mature way, that at a time she needed to defend her name, she should not let that get in the way of the government’s work,” Abela said.
Cutajar had been facing calls for her resignation since December.
Abela said that while Cutajar had taken the right decision, the PL’s political rivals were unable to boast of the same.
The PL leader challenged Nationalist leader Bernard Grech to take similar action against Opposition MPs that have clouds having over them.
Naming a few, Abela said Grech had failed to take action against former leader Adrian Delia or MPs Kristy Debono, Herman Schiavone, or Jason Azzopardi.
Grech’s lack of action was a sign of weakness, the PM said.
Grech’s opposition, Abela said, was instead busy launching subtle attacks on state institutions.
“They can’t stand watching our institutions function,” Abela said.
The institutions may have taken 40 months to deliver major results on the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder, but these critics are the same who lobby for a public inquiry to drag on, he said.
“Look at the hypocrisy.”
Abela said “the establishment” - a dig at the PN - could not accept it had been rejected by the public.
The public has consistently trusted the PL, he said, because they knew where they stood with a Labour government.
Abela said he had pledged serious and honest leadership, and that was what he had delivered.
“We are trusted to lower taxes, to save businesses through financial support handed out during the pandemic, to handle the health impact of the pandemic,” he said.
Abela went on to list government accomplishments in recent months, as well as pledges for the future. From rent reform to environmental policies.
While the government had been in office for seven years, it had 25 years of PN mistakes to fix, he said.