European Socialists blast Busuttil for failing to take action over Mallia’s ‘Hitler’ comments

“Simon Busuttil, the leader of the Maltese Nationalist Party, has refused to pass comment after one of his leading parliamentary candidates described Adolf Hitler as a ‘very progressive’ leader,” the Party of European Socialists said yesterday.

In an interview with the Times, Mr Mallia said: “Dictators pretend to be nice. If you look back at Adolf Hitler, he was very progressive.

The first campaign against smoking was carried out by the Nazis. Society was affluent. That was Adolf Hitler. Was he good? I don’t think so!”

The PES said it was “horrified not only at the outrageous comments themselves, but at the failure of the Nationalist Party leader to deal with the issue as soon as they came to light.”

PES president Sergei Stanishev said: "If Mr Busuttil does not have the courage even to stand up to one of his own candidates who has so clearly crossed the line, then he certainly does not have the necessary attributes to lead Malta's official opposition, never mind to stand for election to government.

“I call on Mr Busuttil immediately to disown his candidate's despicable comments and to set out the measures he intends to take to correct the situation.

"It is also tasteless that a political candidate from any party should think it appropriate to invoke a genocidal dictator in an attempt to criticise a progressive elected leader such as Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat.”