[ANALYSIS] Rosianne Cutajar: Abela’s elastic yardstick
Abela started his term by sending a strong message of accountability only to become more cautious by the end of the year
24 December 2020, 10:52am
by James Debono
In his first year of office, Abela has used a different yardstick in censuring different Cabinet members involved in cases of impropriety, which ranges from zero tolerance for Konrad Mizzi to passing the buck on the Standards Commissioner in the case of Rosianne Cutajar.
It is very difficult for any Prime Minister to apply a universal yardstick applicable to any case of misconduct, which can range from a lack of political judgement to dubious ethical behaviour or even outright corruption. Abela’s predecessor Joseph Muscat had established a very high bar, removing Michael Falzon and Manuel Mallia for impropriety happening on their watch; but then lowering the bar abysmally after retaining Konrad Mizzi in his cabinet and Keith Schembri as his closest aide.
Disgraced former Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Keith Schembri will face the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia today at 9.30am.
Schembri has been linked to the assassination ever since the arrest of Yorgen Fenech in connection to the murder.
Fenech has said Schembri was the real mastermind of the assassination plot, while several recordings of middleman-turned-state-witness Melvin Theuma have indicated that he was a major leak from the investigation.
Meanwhile, Theuma’s evidence box held a handwritten note naming Schembri as a co-conspirator and a photograph of the pair at Castille.
Schembri is currently out on police bail for two separate criminal allegations. The first involves kickbacks for Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme, the other is potential trading in influence and money laundering with Fenech. Schembri was most recently investigated just yesterday.
Malta’s longest ongoing court case is 47 years old
The country’s longest ongoing court case was registered on 9 March 1973
14 December 2020, 6:17pm
by Karl Azzopardi
Malta’s longest pending court case stretches back to 1973, information tabled in parliament shows.
The case was registered on 9 March 1973 in the Gozo courts. The involved parties are Angelo Grech also known as George and Joseph Grech and the case concerns the winding up of a commercial partnership.
The information was tabled in parliament by Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, who was answering a question by Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo.
The minister said the case was put off numerous times as the parties sought to reach an out of court agreement. The next sitting is scheduled for January.
The man facing life in jail over his alleged involvement in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has called for the “suspension or termination” of the public inquiry into her death claiming that it is breaching his human rights.
In a letter to the Council of Europe, Fenech requested that immediate action be taken to safeguard the integrity of all ongoing judicial proceedings. He claims that his rights to a fair trial and to respect for private and family life are being breached.
The letter was addressed to the President of the Council of Europe s Parliamentary Assembly, President of the CoE s Monitoring Committee, the President of the CoE s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights; the Speaker of the Maltese House of Representatives Anġlu Farrugia; Prime Minister Robert Abela, Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, the State Advocate Chris Soler and the board of the public inquiry.