Stand up for an honest Malta: an open letter to our president
At a time when citizens are questioning institutions and losing faith in those entrusted to protect them, Malta needs a voice capable of speaking to the nation’s conscience, writes Albert Buttigieg. This crisis is not sustainable and can no longer be ignored.
Madam President, following the acquittal of Yorgen Fenech on charges relating to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, many citizens are now asking whether this is not precisely the moment when the presidency should speak.
You have been reported as saying that the presidency would speak at the right moment, and with respect, many people now believe that moment has arrived.
I fully understand that you have no executive authority and that your role is largely ceremonial. I also fully understand that you cannot interfere in the work of the courts, nor am I asking you to do so. However, your office carries a moral authority that no other office in this country possesses.
I am a former MP and I write to you today simply as an active citizen who cares deeply about the country I call home, and I know that many honest citizens, regardless of their political affiliations, feel the same. Many are gravely concerned about the state of affairs in our nation.
Madam President, you represent the nation, and your office therefore carries a responsibility that goes beyond political or executive power. At a time when citizens are questioning institutions and losing faith in those entrusted to protect them, Malta needs a voice above party politics, a voice capable of speaking to the conscience of the nation.
As president, you are the voice of our national conscience.
Although the jury’s verdict must be respected, and an appeal is expected to be lodged, respecting a verdict does not mean that Malta must stop asking difficult and pertinent questions about what this case has revealed.
Sadly, the trial has brought to light very disturbing questions about questionable relationships between business interests, a number of politicians, and people within our institutions, including high-ranking police officials.
Such revelations compel us to ask whether relationships between political power, business interests, and institutional influence have become too close, too comfortable, and too powerful. This is not about conspiracy theories; it is about transparency, accountability, and protecting the integrity of our institutions and, alas, our democracy.
Speaking at the State of the Nation conference, Archbishop Charles Scicluna warned about wealthy businessmen buying influence, politicians and public officials being corrupted, police officers assisting criminals, and journalists becoming involved in wrongdoing rather than exposing it.
He also warned of the danger of state capture, saying: “When informal networks become more powerful than formal institutions, the danger is no longer simply corruption. The danger is the capture of the nation itself – state capture.”
Such statements demand serious consideration and cannot be ignored. They carry weight.
If the archbishop felt compelled to speak so directly, should this not also be a moment for the head of state to speak out, acknowledge public apprehensions, and give some reassurance?
Malta is facing serious concerns about systematic corruption, uncontrolled development, ethical degradation, and a growing perception that accountability does not apply equally to everyone.
Madam President, during the State of the Nation Convention, you chose to speak instead about Malta’s declining birth rate. Although this is an urgent national issue, I think we must ask a more provocative question: what kind of future are we asking parents to bring children into?
What future will these children have if they grow up believing that connections matter more than merit, influence opens doors that remain closed to others, and the powerful are treated differently from common Joe?
Encouraging people to have children ought not to be separated from what kind of country we are building for them.
Young people need affordable housing, a family-friendly environment, and opportunities based on merit, but above all, they want a country where the same rules apply to everyone.
Thus, the core question is not only how many children Malta must have, but rather, what kind of Malta our future children will inherit.
Madam President, as an upright person, can you, in good conscience, feel comfortable representing a situation in which so many citizens have lost faith in their institutions? Can you be comfortable representing a country where people can come to believe that the powerful can get away with murder?
My humble suggestion to you is to convene a high-level meeting, invite the prime minister, the opposition leader, other political leaders, and the country’s key constitutional and institutional office holders, and convey to them that this crisis is not sustainable and can no longer be ignored.
Challenge them to agree on a timeframe that strengthens accountability, protects the independence and integrity of our institutions, confront corruption, and restores public trust. Above all, demand that they implement the recommendations of the public inquiry regarding the brutal assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia – without any ifs and buts.
You took an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution.
Madam President, that moment is now. The country is looking to you. Please do not let us down.
Stand up for Malta’s people. Stand up for the generations to come. Stand up for an honest Malta. Thank you.
(This article was published on Times of Malta – 12 September, 2026)