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WATCH: ‘We’ve Adjusted And Improved Our System,’ Robert Abela Says Following Misused Funds For Facebook Report

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Prime Minister Robert Abela said his administration has acted upon a report by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life looking into the misuse of public funds to promote posts on ministers’ personal Facebook pages.

“We didn’t wait for the report – we did what was required and underwent an alignment to conform with what the commissioner recommended in our dialogue with him,” Abela said during a live interview on ONE news this morning. “If we can see a way to improve our systems, we adjust, and we get better.”

“In reality, this was a subject that was a new thing for everyone, and when this report came through one realised we had this situation, and the investigation started,” he said.

An investigation following the report came after a complaint was filed by Lovin Malta when it became clear that ministers were using public funds and resources to boost their own Facebook pages instead of setting up official ministry pages.

Abela said that while the commissioner had spoken to a number of individuals as part of the investigation, the commissioner was more focused on investigating the “system more than any individuals”.

Saying the commissioner was “satisfied” with the way the government had addressed the report, he went on to say that he was uncertain of how “genuine” a magisterial inquiry over the report was.

“This is the second magisterial inquiry we’ve had to face,” Abela said. “The entire cabinet is under investigation on this case from a criminal aspect. If you ask for my position, I’m clearly going to defend myself and my friends’ position, I have my reserves over how genuine all this is, but I’ll be at the forefront to fix it,” he said.

Lovin Malta’s talk show Kaxxaturi launched an online petition requesting a comprehensive audit into Facebook misuse and demanding a full refund of any misspent taxpayer money.

 

https://www.facebook.com/LovinMalta/videos/256306968993295/

Viewers are being asked to donate money for the Kaxxaturi episode to be boosted all over Facebook and for the petition to Parliament to be promoted as much as possible.

Every cent donated will be spent on promoting the Kaxxaturi episode and its petition.

Over €5,000 has been raised with over 2,700 people signing the petition already.

Visit www.kaxxaturi.com to find donation details and a link to our petition site.

What do you think of Abela’s response to the report?

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Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]

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