Delia speaks of ‘hijacked’ institutions, draws parallels to 1980s violence

ADRIAN DELIA

Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia yesterday morning insisted that the country’s institutions had “fallen into the hands of the government,” adding that Attorney General Peter Grech had done nothing about damning Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) reports, despite knowing about them for several months.

Speaking in Gudja, Delia thanked PN MEP David Casa, who has revealed that he is in possession of an FIAU report which concludes that Minister Konrad Mizzi should be investigated for alleged money laundering and the possible existence of money derived from crime.

The Malta Independent had reported the contents of the report in question at the end of last May.

“The police, who should be protecting you, cannot do their job,” Delia said, “because they are in the hands of the government, which does not allow them to investigate.”

Delia said that instead of protecting those who sought the truth, the police “give comfort to the offender.”

The attorney general has a constitutional duty to see that court proceedings start against Mizzi, said Delia. He said the attorney general had not only failed to act, but had also “concealed” the report.

Delia argued that Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar “does not even have the will” to find out who murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galiza or investigate other cases, adding that this was frightening and not normal.

Reference to former FIAU manager Jonathan Ferris was also made, with Delia stating that the sacked official had simply been doing his job. But the government intervened and removed him, thus silencing him, because “he was getting too close to people high up in government, even the Prime Minister.”

While commemorating the 31st anniversary of the political murder of Raymond Caruana, Delia said that “we are once again living in a situation similar to the timeline of events of 31 years ago, when Raymond Caruana was killed.”

Delia claimed that the Labour government had then wanted to stifle democracy, speaking of how the rule of law was under threat then. He recalled how the PL government at the time had let the situation degenerate, leading to the shooting that killed Raymond Caruana.

The Opposition leader said people today had a decision to make: to remain silent or to rise up and speak.

Although one might hold back for fear of some vindictive transfer at work, everyone’s turn would eventually come, he said.

“Once again the Nationalist Party has a mission to be the voice of democracy and freedom.”

He concluded by saying that the country was calling its citizens, saying that one strong voice was needed, and that voice could only be the Nationalist party.

The police, who should be protecting you, cannot do their job because they are in the hands of the government