Prime Minister Robert Abela’s decision to use party media to announce a timeframe for the lifting of COVID-19 measures has earned the condemnation from civil society group Repubblika.

Abela has made regular use of party media to announce COVID-19 measures applicable to all residents of Malta, regardless of the party they support, Repubblika warned. Earlier today, Abela took to One TV to announced that flights will be reopened and that several COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted.

“Abela is confirming that there is no difference between party and state and shows that the Maltese government is in the hands of the Labour Party,” the group said in a statement.

“He is using the health service and the virus to push forward the interests of his party,” they continued.

This is not the first time Abela has been accused of blurring the lines between party and state issues. Most recently, he was criticised for calling a state press conference to criticise Repubblika and an Opposition MP for filing a criminal complaint against him and the AFM over the death of migrants.

Abela and the AFM have been vindicated in the case. Abela even addressed this issue during his interview, calling on Jason Azzopardi to resign. He stressed that he respects Repubblika but claimed they were listening “to the wrong people”.