A ‘no comment’ simply doesn’t cut it

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici replied with a “no comment” yesterday when asked, by this newspaper, why the role of leading the constitutional convention had been given to President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca when it had originally been promised to Law Commissioner Franco Debono.

The firebrand former MP launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Joseph Muscat last week, describing him as “Malta’s most corrupt politician” after the prime minister reportedly went against his word and decided that the President would lead the convention that is to update Malta’s constitution.

Debono’s attack on the prime minister may have been harsh, but one can understand his disappointment, seeing that the post had previously been earmarked for him.

Debono said he had no problem seeing the convention led by an incumbent president – the issue here is that the convention will probably only take shape after Coleiro Preca’s term expires, meaning that she will no longer be president when the process starts.

Now this might create friction with her successor – widely expected to be former Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella – who might rightly insist that the convention be held under their patronage. The next president might even make this a condition of accepting the role. And they would be right to do so.

Speaking on Indepth last week, Debono asked whether the prime minister had “ceded to pressure” from President Coleiro Preca and given her the post as a way of keeping her from running for MEP after her term expired.

Since the President has so far not reacted to the unverified claims, it is very important that someone starts answering questions.

As the person responsible for legal reform, the justice minister cannot simply hide behind a “no comment.”

If anything, his refusal to comment raises even more questions, such as whether the minister is refusing to comment because he disagrees with the prime minister’s decision to appoint the President to lead the constitutional convention, or whether he agrees and has no faith in Debono.

When Debono launched his attack on the prime minister – first by saying that he or someone close to him owned Egrant and then by saying that Muscat was Malta’s most corrupt politician – the prime minister remained silent. When asked by one of our journalists what his reaction was, he refused to comment, citing “freedom of speech.” When Bonnici was asked whether the prime minister was using two weights and two measures – he sued Daphne Caruana Galizia for making the exact same claim about Egrant – he skirted around the question, also citing freedom of expression.

But while Prime Minister Muscat and Justice Minister Bonnici can refuse to comment on Debono’s Egrant allegations, they cannot do the same when asked about the constitutional convention, the decision to give the role to President Coleiro Preca or the reasons behind that decision.