Press Statement: Not Business-as-Usual

We are here at Castille today, representing different groups and individuals who all share the same concerns, resolute and determined to convey one strong clear message: we are asking for Muscat to tender his resignation immediately! But Muscat is not the only scourge that has plagued our country. We are occupying Castille because we are greatly concerned about the dire situation that has engulfed the democratic institutions of our country and because we feel that our country has hit rock bottom in ways unprecedented before. Corruption at the highest political level is not the only disconcerting issue that we are facing as a country- we have now crossed all limits of decency and have woken up to a country which has allowed the political situation to degenerate to an extent that we now find ourselves faced with the political assassination of a journalist. Despite all this, it seems that not everyone has understood, or it could be that there are some who prefer that we don’t understand, the full extent and gravity of the situation we have found ourselves in.

We are blocking Castille because we adamantly believe that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is no longer fit to occupy the office of Prime Minister and his promise to resign in January is simply not enough. Muscat wants to convey a message that everything has been carrying on as normal and that it’s ‘business as usual’.

Business as usual? Not while Keith Schembri still walks free among us despite the ever growing filth that surrounds him. Not when the corrupt deals which Schembri and Konrad Mizzi were involved in have yet to be properly investigated. Not when Joseph Muscat himself still occupies the office of Prime Minister. Whether he was aware of what was going on around him, the extent of what he knew, whether he was betrayed or if he himself betrayed others – there is one thing we know with certainty – he needs to leave – now.

Our demand, along with that of many other people, is that Muscat resigns and makes way at once. With every minute that passes and Muscat remains latched to his seat of power, it is inevitable that the people will start growing even more suspicious that some kind of heinous plot is being conspired behind their backs so that the truth remains buried.

It is the people who elect these individuals to power to represent them and safeguard their interests; the politicians are there to serve the people, and not the other way round. When the democratic institutions which are there to represent the people become a hub for institutionalised crime, plundering of the taxpayer’s money, corruption at an unprecedented level, collusions and incestuous relationships with big business which have led to an assassination with the only intent to silence the voice of those who dared to reveal the rotten state of affairs that has been kept hidden from us, it is up to the citizens to claim their rights to protest and make their voices heard, to draw the attention of the politicians who believe themselves to be above the law and show them that they are no longer worthy of occupying the office which the people themselves had trusted them to occupy.

At this point there is no alternative but for the citizens to go out in the streets and make their voices heard loud and clear. The democratic rights of citizens are not limited to casting a vote every five years. Politicians should continue to be scrutinised throughout the whole legislature and not only during electoral campaigns. If politicians abuse their power or if their conduct is unworthy of the office they occupy, then they should make way and resign. This is the message that we want to convey by our action today – there remains no doubt that the position of the Prime Minister is absolutely no longer tenable.

The resignation of the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat should be the first step. We will remain here in front of Castille for as long as necessary. We encourage all those who identify with our beliefs to join us, bring along your instruments and make your voices heard. This is the moment that we should all seize. Anyone who dreams of a new Malta, Malta untainted by filthy politics, Malta which provides for everyone’s needs – then we invite you to come here and join us.

Castille belongs to the people and it should be returned to the people.

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Stqarrija Stampa: Mhux ‘Business-as-Usual’

Qegħdin hawn Kastilja illum, diversi gruppi u individwi, b’messaġġ ċar: irridu lil Muscat jirriżenja issa! Imma mhux Muscat biss il-problema. Ġejna hawn illum Kastilja għax ninsabu inkwetati ferm dwar is-sitwazzjoni mwiergħa li ħakmet lill-istituzzjonijiet demokratiċi tal-pajjiż, u għax ħassejna li pajjiżna issa verament mess il-qiegħ. M’għadniex qed nitkellmu biss fuq korruzzjoni – issa qed nitkellmu fuq qtil politiku, u minkejja dan jidher li għadna ma fehemniex, jew hawn min ma jridniex nifhmu, il-gravità kollha ta’ din is-sitwazzjoni.

Ġejna nimblukkaw Kastilja għax nemmnu li l-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat m’għadux denju li jkompli jokkupa l-kariga tiegħu u li l-wegħda tiegħu li jirriżenja f’Jannar mhix biżżejjed.

Muscat jixtieq iwassal messaġġ li kollox għaddej ‘business as usual’. Business as usual xejn. Mhux sakemm Keith Schembri għadu ħieles minkejja l-ħama li qed jegħreq fiha. Mhux sakemm id-deals korrotti li kienu involuti fihom hu u Konrad Mizzi għadhom mhux investigati. Mhux sakemm Joseph Muscat stess għadu Prim Ministru. Kienx jaf, x’kien jaf, kienx tradut, jew kienx hu t-traditur, ħaġa waħda nafu biċ-ċert – irid jitlaq – issa.

It-talba tagħna, u ta’ ħafna nies oħra, hija li jirriżenja u jwarrab immedjatament. Huwa inevitabbli li b’kull minuta li qed jibqa’ f’dan l-uffiċċju se jkomplu jikbru s-suspetti f’moħħ il-poplu li qed tinħema xi konfoffa jew xi kumplott minn wara dahru biex il-verità kollha ma toħroġx.

Huwa l-poplu li jeleġġi lil dawn l-individwi biex jirrappreżentawh u jħares l-interessi tiegħu, il-politiċi qegħdin hemm biex iservu u jaqdu lill-poplu, u mhux bil-kontra. Meta l-istituzzjonijiet demokratiċi li jirrappreżentaw lill-poplu jinbidlu f’bejta ta’ kriminalità istituzzjonalizzata, serq minn wara dahar il-poplu, korruzzjoni bla preċedent, konfoffi u relazzjonijiet inċestużi mal-big business li sarrfu fi qtil intenzjonat biex jifga’ l-vuċi ta’ min kien qiegħed jikxef il-ħmieġ kollu li kien għaddej minn wara l-kwinti, huwa d-dritt taċ-ċittadini li jgħollu l-vuċi tagħhom, li jiġbdu l-attenzjoni tal-politiċi li saru jaħsbu li huma ogħla mil-liġi u li jurihom li m’għadhomx denji li jokkupaw il-kariga li l-poplu stess fdalhom f’idejhom.

Mela allura ma jifdal l-ebda triq ħlief li ċ-ċittadinii joħorġu fit-toroq u jsemmgħu leħinhom bis-saħħa. Il-jedd demokratiku taċ-ċittadini ma jiqafx mal-eżerċitazzjoni tal-vot darba kull ħames snin. Il-politiċi għandhom jibqgħu taħt l-iskrutinju tal-poplu tul il-leġiżlatura kollha u mhux waqt il-kampanja elettorali biss, u meta dawn jiżgarraw u jabbużaw mill-kariga tagħhom għandhom iwarrbu. U huwa dan li qed infissru bil-ġest tagħna llum – issa, ma fadal ebda dubju li l-pożizzjoni tal-Prim Ministru assolutament m’għadhiex tenibbli.

Irridu nibdew mil-lum, mir-riżenja tal-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat. Aħna se nibqgħu hawn quddiem Kastilja sakemm ikun hemm bżonn. Inħeġġu lil dawk kollha li jaqblu magħna sabiex jingħaqdu magħna, ġibu magħkom l-istrumenti, ġibu leħinkom. Dan huwa l-ħin. Din hija s-siegħa. Min irid Malta ġdida, Malta nadifa, Malta li tipprovdi għal kulħadd – ejja hawn, ingħaqad magħna.

Kastilja trid terġa’ tkun tal-poplu.