ADPD Call Out Malta’s Police For Treating Ministers As ‘Untouchable Demi-Gods’
ADPD has called out the Maltese police for treating cabinet members and their entourage like “untouchable demi-gods” who seem to always be above the law.
“It is deplorable that in this day and age ministers are still considered demi-gods, akin to village patron saints. They are considered as above the law and untouchables, rather than as public servants who lead by example,” the party’s Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said during a press conference earlier today.
“It is scandalous that political expediency and nepotism is practised even at the expense of the safety on our roads.”
This reaction comes after a national scandal that saw three Transport Malta officials charged for corruption with one of the accused reportedly admitting that he was “pressured” to pass someone as they were “working at a villa belonging to a government minister”.
Neither the political party nor the minister was named in court and Prime Minister Robert Abela has defended his ministers when asked about the allegations.
Clint Mansueto, Raul Antonio Pace, and local councillor Philip Edrick Zammit were charged in court earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Mansueto’s chats reportedly reveal connections with a political party that told them which candidates should pass their test.
ADPD responded to this situation by censuring the unfair impunity plaguing several of Malta’s systems and institutions.
“From what we have been hearing over the past years it seems that some consider it acceptable to cheat and feel that they are out of the reach of the law when dishing out driving licences as political favours,” Capocardo said.
“This raises questions about whether this kind of impunity and law-breaking is also rife in other areas of the public service, such as in the planning and development permits, more so given the number of questionable decisions which we read about week after week.”
“It seems that the Police’s restraint in not mentioning politicians’ names at this stage is meant to avoid a political earthquake of epic proportions.”
The Chairman went on to cite unofficial sources who said that there are various current members of the cabinet of ministers, and former ministers involved in this case.
In fact, he explained that two diaries with over 200 names have revealed detailed information on those who may have benefited undeservedly from assistance to pass these driving tests.
Capocardo also called out PN Home Affairs spokesperson Joe Giglio for representing one of the accused in the case, saying that he has a problem with “credibility and ethical behaviour”.
However, Giglio maintains that his client was only abiding by orders from his superiors.
He also branded him as “part of the problem with politics in Malta.”
Capocardo’s final statement urged police to stop treating cabinet members as “some special breed of citizens”, telling them to name, shame, and take swift action against those who operate a “whole system of dishing out favours”.
Do you think the police put cabinet members and their entourage above the law?
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