ADPD Says Malta Police Treats Ministers as ‘Demi-Gods’
The ADPD called out the Maltese police for treating the members of the cabinet and their entourage like “untouchable demi-gods” who always seem above the law.
“It is deplorable that in this day and age ministers are still considered demi-gods, like village patron saints. They are considered above the law and the untouchables, rather than as public servants who lead by example,” said the Chairperson of the party Carmel Cacopardo during a news conference earlier today.
“It is scandalous that political expediency and nepotism are practiced even to the detriment of safety on our roads.”
This reaction comes after a national scandal that saw three officials of Transport Malta accused of corruption with one of the accused allegedly admitting that he was “pressured” to hand over someone as they were “working in a villa of a minister of the government”.
Neither the political party nor the minister was mentioned in Court and Prime Minister Robert Abela defended his ministers when asked about the allegations.
Clint Mansueto, Raul Antonio Pace, and local councilor Philip Edrick Zammit were charged in court earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Mansueto’s chats allegedly reveal connections with a political party that told them which candidates should pass their test.
The ADPD responded to this situation by censuring the unjust impunity that is affecting various systems and institutions in Malta.
“From what we have been hearing over the last few years it seems that some consider it acceptable to cheat and feel that they are far from the law when they distribute driving licenses as political favours,” said Capocardo.
“This raises questions about whether this type of impunity and violation of the law is also widespread in other areas of the public service, such as in planning and development permits, even more so because of the number of ‘ questionable decisions we read about week after week. “
“It seems that the restraint of the Police not to mention the names of the politicians at this stage is intended to avoid a political earthquake of epic proportions.”
The Chairman continued by citing unofficial sources who said that there are several current members of the cabinet of ministers, and former ministers involved in this case.
In fact he explained that two diaries with more than 200 names revealed detailed information about those who could have undeservedly benefited from help to pass these driving tests.
Capocardo also called the PN spokesperson for Internal Affairs, Joe Giglio, for representing one of the accused in the case, saying that he has a problem of “credibility and ethical behavior”.
However, Giglio maintains that his client was only following the orders of his superiors.
He also labeled it as “part of the problem of politics in Malta.”
Capocardo’s final statement urged police to stop treating cabinet members as “some special breed of citizen”, telling them to name, shame, and take swift action against those who operate “a whole system of distribution of favours’.
Do you think the police have put cabinet members and their entourage above the law?