Joseph Muscat and the E.P. Debate

We've  all got our opportunities to defend ourselves in life, even when we are wrong. It is only fair that people are given the opportunity to prove their innocence. And, this is the opportunity that Joseph Muscat had yesterday during the European Party debate. But, alas instead of helping us out of the mess he has brought us into, Joseph Muscat continued to defend his political interest to the detriment of his own country. Most M.E.P.s are harshly against many aspects of our financial service and gaming industry, and against our Individual Investment Program, and were well placed yesterday to show us that. The mafia in the gaming industry was  mentioned by a particular M.E.P., but so was the fact that our prime minister has decided to keep both Keith Schembri as his chief-of-staff and Konrad Mizzi as minister, following the humongous victory he enjoyed in the general election. It is clear that the kind of financial services we are providing to corporate business go down pretty badly with a large number of countries, and that yesterday's debate was the opportunity for them to get a swipe on our system. After all this is what benefits them the most, as we are a jurisdiction that is denying them of what they perceive as their taxes. Unfortunately, this might also mean that there are countries  that want to homogenize corporate taxation throughout the E.U. This would bring disaster for our financial services,  gaming industry, and with them the construction industry.

It was because of this that the P.N./E.P.P. euro-parliamentarian, Roberta Metsola, admitted that yesterday's debate was a dark day for Malta. I agree with her on this, when I consider the damage made by initiatives such as the Individual Investment Program that has already raised eyebrows within the E.U. parliament. Just imagine the reaction when  this is seen in the context of Keith Schembri's and Konrad Mizzi's Panama accounts, Brian Tonna and B.T. group, and the allegations of kickbacks concerning all. This is damning to our country. Yet, what Metsola promises augurs us some respite, as she will not be accepting claims made by critics who use political scandals to attack Malta's financial services. It is clear that Joseph Muscat has opened our country to such attacks, while Metsola is attempting to repair what has been damaged by the most corrupt government that our country has ever had.

Joseph Muscat, on the other hand, is blaming the P.N.'s M.E.P.s and the P.N. for the current situation He says that the P.N. is working against their country. This is as if  this whole saga wouldn't have been revealed all the same, with or without the opposition. He wants people to believe that the situation wouldn't have been revealed in the Panama papers and by the foreign media, had there not been the opposition's hand in it all. However, contrary to what Muscat says, it is in fact the P.N. that is guaranteeing to the E,P. and the world that our country is really and truly against corruption. The P.N. M.E.Ps  might be what will provide Malta with a better reputation overseas, by stating that not everyone is corrupt. This will guarantee that there are prospects that this racket will one day stop and things will be back to normal in our country. On the other hand, Joseph Muscat is stating that he will defend Malta, when in actual fact he does not have the credentials to do so, as it is he who has brought us in this situation by keeping Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri before and after the general election. However, as Werner Langen said yesterday during the E.P. debate, Joseph Muscat will definitely not get out of this scotch-free. Langen and others (including the P.N. opposition) will continue to pursue the P.M. until justice is made. Alas, in the mean time our country's financial services are going through irreparable damage, as our smiling and defiant prime minister proceeds on the route of destruction.