Friday, February 26, 2016

The Oligarchy Tightens its Grip





A Politician comes from out of nowhere in 2013 and finds himself promoting Labour's flagship electoral issue - energy bills. He is subsequently progressively appointed Minister of two Ministries responsible for the sale of key state assets in energy and healthcare. Many deals are shrouded in secrecy and involve authoritarian regimes. In the meantime, his Government changes regulations covering Ministerial assets and investments, allowing them not to declare their wife's assets. 

It subsequently emerges that Minister's family financial assets exist in Panama - a dodgy, blacklisted banana republic which attracts dirty money. One of the country that blacklists Panama is Malta in its capacity as EU member state - the same Malta which has its own financial sector, which is in line with existing international regulations.

His Prime Minister - in an increasingly dismissive and arrogant tone - says that he has no problem with his Minister's behaviour. The Prime Minister is perfectly ok that instead of investing in Malta, the Minister chose to invest in a country that attracts dirty money. The Prime Minister refused to discuss the issue in Malta's highest political institution - parliament.

The Minister is subsequently crowned Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. 

In a normal democracy, we would have been discussing the resignation of such a Minister.

Given that 96% of Labour delegates chose to crown Konrad Mizzi as Deputy Leader in what transpired to be a non-contest with no debate, given that State television news, various self-appointed 'progressives' and 'leftists' have suddenly gone in self-denial Ostrich mode, the importance of the independent media, civil society, and political forces not caught up in dirty politics has never been so important.

#‎Oligarchy ‪#‎Malta‬ ‪#‎TaghhomBiss‬ ‪#‎EverythingFallsIntoPlace‬

See also:

Labour's Oligarchy: