We are all collateral damage as long as the relationship between political parties and the business class remains tight-knit, Moviment Graffitti said.
In its submission to the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry, Moviment Graffitti noted that the State can never prevent criminal acts from taking place when those criminals are directly funding the activities of political parties.
Successive governments have accommodated the interests of big business in order to keep the economy running, the group said. This has led to the loss of Daphne Caruana Galizia and Miriam Pace among others. Legislative frameworks have been manipulated to benefit influential developers, contractors and high-level donors, the group added.
The group added that at no point in post-independence Malta did the State have any effective criminal law provisions in place to avoid the development of a de facto state of impunity. “If it did, Daphne Caruana Galizia would still be with us today,” the group said.
Moviment Graffitti noted that the links between big business and the political class go beyond the Labour government or any administration. This is shown by Malta’s history of cheap land grabs and the unregulated construction industry that has proved fatal to construction workers and residents alike. Corruption found its roots in the Nationalist administration and flourished under the Labour government, Moviment Graffitti said. Party financing led to backroom deals and cheap land grabs, it added.
“In Malta, money talks,” a spokesperson said. “No state in Malta can guarantee prevention against a state of impunity if they are indebted to private corporate interests.” Daphne Caruana Galizia and Miriam Pace’s murders took place because of these close ties, the group said.
The group also highlighted that white collar crime is rife in Malta and is now central to a de facto state of impunity. Reports that a Chinese energy negotiator was behind a company intended to send millions to former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and former Minister Konrad Mizzi continue to show how those in power use public funds to deepen their pockets.
Aħna lkoll vittmi sekondarji sakemm il-partiti politiċi u l-klassi tan-negozjanti jibqgħu ħaġa waħda flimkien, saħaq il-Moviment Graffitti.
Fis-sottomissjoni tiegħu lill-inkjesta pubblika ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia, il-Moviment Graffitti nnota li l-istat qatt ma jista’ jwaqqaf atti kriminali meta l-kriminali stess ikunu qed jiffinanzjaw direttament l-attivitajiet tal-partiti politiċi.
L-organizzazzjoni qalet li gvernijiet suċċessivi ħarsu l-interessi ta’ negozji kbar sabiex iżommu l-ekonomija għaddejja. Dan wassal għat-telfa ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia u ta’ Miriam Pace fost oħrajn. L-oqfsa leġiżlattivi ġew manipulati biex jibbenefikaw żviluppaturi influwenti, kuntratturi u donaturi kbar, żiedet tgħid l-organizzazzjoni.
Il-Moviment Graffitti żied jgħid li l-istat, fl-ebda punt wara l-indipendenza f’Malta ma kellu proviżjonijiet tal-liġi kriminali effettivi biex jevita l-iżvilupp ta’ stat de facto ta’ impunità. “Kieku għamel hekk, Daphne Caruana Galizia kienet tkun għadha magħna llum,” qalet l-organizzazzjoni.
Il-Moviment Graffitti saħaq li r-rabtiet bejn in-negozji l-kbar u l-klassi politika imorru lil hinn mill-gvern Laburista jew kwalunkwe amministrazzjoni oħra. Dan jintwera mill-istorja ta’ ħtif ta’ art bl-irħis u ta’ industrija tal-kostruzzjoni mhux regolata li kellha riżultati fatali kemm għall-ħaddiema tal-kostruzzjoni kif ukoll għar-residenti f’Malta. Il-korruzzjoni sabet l-għeruq tagħha fl-amministrazzjoni Nazzjonalista u ffjorixxiet taħt il-gvern Laburista, qal il-Moviment Graffitti, u żied li l-finanzjament tal-partiti wassal għal ftehimiet minn wara l-kwinti u ħtif ta’ art bl-irħis.
“F’Malta, il-flus jitkellmu,” qal kelliem tal-Moviment. “L-ebda stat f’Malta ma jista’ jiggarantixxi prevenzjoni ta’ stat ta’ impunità jekk ikollu d-dejn ma’ korporazzjonijiet b’interessi privati.”
Il-qtil ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia u ta’ Miriam Pace seħħ minħabba dawn ir-rabtiet mill-qrib, qalet l-organizzazzjoni.
Il-grupp enfasizza wkoll li l-kriminalità ta’ dawk li għandhom poter politiku jew ekonomiku mifruxa madwar Malta hija ċentrali għal stat de facto ta’ impunità. Rapporti li negozjatur Ċiniż tal-enerġija kien il-moħħ wara kumpanija intenzjonata li tibgħat miljuni lill-eks Chief of Staff tal-OPM Keith Schembri u lill-eks Ministru Konrad Mizzi jkomplu juru kif individwi fil-poter jużaw il-fondi pubbliċi biex iħaxxnu bwiethom.
