UPDATE:
Who is the establishment? Both party leaders refer to the ‘establishment’ in their Sunday speeches
Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the people in Malta’s south know exactly who forms part of the “establishment”. Speaking under a large marquee in Żabbar on Sunday, Abela said: “You in the south know who is the establishment and what decisions they took. For them, the south was only good for dump sites”. Abela said that the “establishment” built a power station run by heavy fuel oil and a recycling plant that smelled so bad that people could not even open a window. The prime minister and Labour leader told the crowd that he wanted to work towards a united country – even as he attacked the Opposition and ‘establishment’ that he said was intent on destruction.
Meanwhile, PN Leader Bernard Grech said that while Robert Abela likes to speak about the “establishment” he is unable to tell journalists who that is because the establishment is himself. “The establishment is he who competed with a mother who simply wanted to know the truth on her son’s death, he who covers up information and controls the police and the AG. The establishment are those who were found responsible for creating a culture of impunity that led to the assassination of a journalist.” He said not only was the PN not the establishment, but it was the PN who pushed the Labour establishment to give back to the people three public hospitals that it had given to Vitals and Steward Healthcare. “The establishment is he who has access to the conclusions of the magisterial inquiry on the biggest fraud in history, even though it has not been published yet, and is using it to make political manoeuvres that serve only himself,” Grech said, not once mentioning Abela’s name while making it clear he was referring to him.
Actress and Media person Monica Attard passes away
Monica Attard, a TV and radio presenter and actor who thrilled theatre crowds for decades, has died aged 74.
Attard was born in Sliema in 1949 and spent practically all her life in the town.
Morning Briefing
Abstention cuts Labour lead to 17,000
The latest MaltaToday survey shows that the Labour Party maintains an outright majority of 50.7%, although it has dropped by two points compared to March. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party has achieved a score of 44.2%. Currently, the PL leads the PN by a margin of seven points, equating to a voting difference of 17,100 votes, based on an expected turnout of 71%. In contrast, back in March, the PL held a 10-point lead over the PN, with a more significant advantage of 28,700 votes. The March survey had a turnout rate of 77%. This survey specifically inquired about people’s voting intentions for the upcoming European Parliament election scheduled for June 8th. Despite the PL’s drop in voting share, the PN’s increase only amounted to 1.6%. (Maltatoday)
Opposition leader says PM is exploiting knowledge of magisterial inquiry for political gain
Bernard Grech, the Opposition leader, has accused Robert Abela of exploiting his access to a covert magisterial investigation regarding the Vitals deal for personal political gain. Grech dared Abela to take legal action against him, stating that if his claims were false, Abela should sue or report him. Grech emphasized that Abela’s statements and conduct strongly suggest that he and certain others are privy to the inquiry’s findings. According to Grech, Abela is leveraging this information to protect himself at the expense of others, leading Grech to level a direct accusation against him. The PN has also warned that it is prepared to take legal action if the Attorney General fails to publish the Inquiry into the now-rescinded deal with Vitals Global Healthcare.(Times of Malta)
No assault on judiciary says Justice Minister
Justice Minister Jonathan Attard refuted claims that the Prime Minister’s implication of hidden agendas in Magistrate Gabriella Vella’s conclusion of the Vitals investigation earlier this week as an assault on the judiciary. Attard, speaking to RTK host Andrew Azzopardi, emphasized that they have consistently bolstered public confidence in the judiciary. Responding to the Prime Minister’s assertion that the release of the inquiry coincided with local elections, Attard referenced past administrations like Gonzi’s, questioning their contributions to the judiciary during periods of scandal. (The Malta Independent)
