ADPD spokesperson Sandra Gauci said that we are still waiting for a complete clean up of institutions. It should also be noted that the Maltese Government has ignored Malta’s national conscience, including internal criticism of the weak design of Malta’s financial system. It has also ignored the abuse committed and the criminal involvement of senior officials and some politicians. Sandra Gauci who was addressing a press conference today with ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that government seems to act only after pressure from international sources, while ignoring criticism and suggestions from Maltese people and organisations.

“We are saddened by the decision of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) to put Malta on its grey list. This was however expected. It was not necessary for foreign institutions to tell us that things in Malta are not going well. We, amongst others, have been long pointing out that things are amiss in Malta’s financial system and setup.

While it is true that many decisions have been taken in recent months to strengthen the country’s regulatory framework against money laundering and organized crime, we are not convinced that these decisions were taken to strengthen the integrity of the system. There is still doubt as to whether what has been done is merely a reaction to the sensitivities of the international community. Unfortunately, the country is used to weak institutions by design.”

Carmel Cacopardo added:”The fact that the police suddenly started taking action in cases of money laundering does not detract from the fact that for years the police force was prevented from acting as several of its officers were in the pockets of criminals. It is this that has led to zero enforcement for many years. What until recently was just a suspicion nowadays is confirmed. We know the names of those involved.

We also had the Labour Parliamentary group refusing to condemn Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri for their involvement in the Panama Papers scandal. Instead of sending a strong message in favour of seriousness, Parliament chose to defend white collar crime.

Unfortunately, the action against money laundering came late. The criminal complicity of the government and the institutions involved in all this has seriously damaged the economy and society. It is those at lower income levels who will feel most of the negative impacts of all this. They need our empathy and protection.

Over the years the Government and the Opposition have developed what they call a “national consensus” on the financial sector which makes Malta an international centre for tax evasion. The sale of the citizenship scheme has further contributed to the breakdown of Malta’s reputation as a trustworthy jurisdiction. Malta’s reputation has been destroyed over the years. The message out there was that government protects financial crime and criminals.

Today’s pompous words in favour of good governance contrast with what has been said and done over the past years. Today’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has always emphasized that his government is one of continuity. After all, Robert Abela was Joseph Muscat’s legal adviser and to some extent he must also shoulder political responsibility for today’s situation.

Political responsibility for the current situation must also be borne by Professor Edward Scicluna, former Minister of Finance who had political responsibility for the institutions that were supposed to have fought money laundering. He himself is currently subject to criminal investigation. Instead of vanishing from the scene, Scicluna was rewarded by being appointed Governor of the Central Bank. Such appointments send a clear message: that there is no seriousness in the leadership of the country. Government should embark on a deep and proper clean up instead of shedding crocodile tears. We are still waiting.”

***

Id-dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli ma’ jsolvu xejn

Il-kelliema ta’ ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li l-pajjiż jeħtieġ tindifa sħiħa, li għadha ma saritx. Ta’ min jinnota wkoll li l-Gvern Malti injora l-kuxjenza nazzjonali f’Malta stess, inkluż kritika interna tal-fasla tas-sistema finanzjarja ta’ Malta u l-abbużi u l-involviment kriminali ta’ uffiċċjali għolja u ta’ xi politiċi. Kellu jistenna l-kritika tal-barranin biex jiċċaqlaq? Flimkien ma’ Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson ta’ ADPD kienet qed tindirizza konferenza stampa illum quddiem il-Berġa ta’ Kastilja.
“Ninsabu mnikktin bid-deċiżjoni tal-FATF (Financial Action Task Force) li tpoġġi lil Malta fuq il-lista l-griża tagħha minkejja li din kienet mistennija. Imma ma kienx meħtieġ li jkunu l-istituzzjonijiet barranin li jiġbdulna widnejna lil-affarijiet f’Malta mhumiex mexjin sew.  Aħna stess ilna niġbdu l-attenzjoni li l-affarijiet mhux sejrin sew fis-sistema finanzjarja.

Huwa veru li matul l-aħħar xhur ittieħedu ħafna deċiżjonijiet biex jissaħħaħ il-qafa regolatorju kontra l-ħasil tal-flus u l-kriminalità organizzata. Il-problema però hi li mhux kulħadd hu konvint li dan sar b’konvinzjoni favur tmexxija b’integrità. Għad jeżisti dubju dwar jekk dak li sar hux biss reazzjoni għas-sensittivitajiet tal-komunità internazzjonali. Għax, sfortunatament, drajna wisq għal snin twal b’istituzzjoniiet ma jaħdmux.”
Carmel Cacopardo żied:”Li f’daqqa waħda l-pulizija bdiet tieħu passi f’kazijiet ta’ ħasil ta’ flus ma jħassarx il-fatt li għal snin sħaħ il-korp tal-Pulizija kien miżmum milli jaġixxi billi diversi uffiċjali tiegħu kienu fil-but tal-kriminali. Huwa dan li wassal biex għal snin twal kellna infurzar żero. Dak li sa ftit ilu kien biss suspett illum il-ġurnata hu konfermat bl-ismijiet li jaf bihom kulħadd.

Kellna lill-grupp Parlamentari Laburista li irrifjuta li jikkundanna lil Konrad Mizzi u lil Keith Schembri għall-involviment tagħhom fl-iskandlu tal-Panama Papers. Dakinhar il-Parlament messu ta messaġġ qawwi favur is-serjetà. Minflok imma, ħareġ messaġġ favur il-ħmieg.

Sfortunatament, l-azzjoni kontra l-ħasil tal-flus waslet tard. Laħqet saret ħsara konsiderevoli. Il-kompliċità kriminali tal-gvern u l-istituzzjonijiet imnawwra f’dan kollu għamlet ħsara serja lill-ekonomija u lis-soċjetà. Huma dawk fil-livelli ta’ dħul aktar baxx li se jħossu l-biċċa l-kbira ta’ l-impatti negattivi ta’ dan kollu. Dawn jeħtieġu l-empatija tagħna. Għandhom bżonn l-iktar protezzjoni f’dan il-mument.

Il-Gvern u l-Oppożizzjoni matul is-snin żviluppaw dak li jsejħu “kunsens nazzjonali” dwar is-settur finanzjarju li jagħmilha possibbli għall-użu ta’ Malta bħala ċentru internazzjonali tal-evażjoni tat-taxxa. Flimkien mal-bejgħ tal-iskema taċ-ċittadinanza dan ikkontribwixxa aktar għat-tkissir tar-reputazzjoni ta’ Malta bħala ġurisdizzjoni li tista’ tkun fdata. Ir-reputazzjoni ħażina li sfortunatament għandha Malta illum fuq livell internazzjonali ma ġietx mix-xejn. Żviluppat bħala riżultat tal-fatt li l-Gvern naqas tul is-snin li jimxi sewwa. Il-messaġġ ċar li ngħata kien li l-Gvern kien jipproteġi l-kriminalità.

Il-kliem sabiħ li qed jingħad illum favur il-governanza tajba jikkuntrasta ma dak li ntqal tul is-snin passati. Il-Prim Ministru tal-lum Robert Abela dejjem enfasizza li l-Gvern immexxi minnu hu wieħed ta’ kontinwità. Wara kollox Robert Abela kien il-konsulent legali ta’ Joseph Muscat u sa ċertu punt irid jerfa’ ukoll ir-responsabbiltà politika għas-sitwazzjoni tal-lum.

Ir-responsabbiltà politika għall-qagħda attwali trid tintrefa ukoll mill-Professur Edward Scicluna eks-Ministru tal-Finanzi li kellu responsabbiltà politika dwar l-istituzzjinijiet li suppost ħadmu kontra l-ħasil tal-flus. Huwa stess preżentement hu soġġett għal investigazzjoni kriminali. Imma flok ma mar jistaħba ngħata premju  għal dak li għamel billi nħatar Gvernatur tal-Bank Ċentrali.

Ħatriet ta’ din ix-xorta jagħtu messaġġ ċar: li ma hawnx serjetà fit-tmexxija tal-pajjiż. Ikun aħjar jekk flok id-dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli dwar dak li qed jiġri issir tindifa sħiħa. Tindifa li s’issa għadha ma saritx.”