E TU, JOSEPH ?

 

United in Corruption  by COSIMO

If you are closely following Maltese politics this month, you know that Prime Minister Abela and his predecessor, Joseph Muscat, are presently on very bad terms. RA wants to get to Keith Schembri ( for personal reasons), and JM knows that, if KS is prosecuted, he will bring down the whole corrupt Muscat  house of cards with him, including Michelle Muscat. The evidence is there, and Muscat is painfully aware of that fact.

Most analysts in Malta understand that JM is trying to sabotage RAs campaign, so that he gets a smaller majority than JM did in 2017. When this happens, he will later get rid of RA internally. Miriam Dalli was to be made the new PM, but Abela blew those plans away. who it will be now is anyone's guess. JM is, and remains, the kingmaker.

Muscat's way out is to become an  independent candidate, as RA will never accept him for Labour. There is another acceptable alternative; Michelle Muscat faces serious problems, including a potentially long sentence in an American prison, for her money laundering activities, so her only way out appears to be as an independent candidate, with or without her husband. On another front, JM is desperately trying to make a secret agreement with Chris Fearne, to undermine RA. He is also openly supporting candidates for Labour; RA is of course not present when JM makes appearances.

There's an underlying reason that Muscat must act soon: the gas supply agreement for the corrupt power station is up for renewal in April. With the current geopolitical situation regarding Russia & the Ukraine, and with Azerbaijan, Malta won't be getting any favourable terms this time. JM needs someone under his control to make this deal, and with their current issues, RA is not on his side.

Will we see Joseph and/or Michelle Muscat as independent candidates ? Maltese politicians know better than to count out the Artful Dodger. He's Malta's Richard Nixon; damaged goods maneuvering to return to power, overtly or behind the scenes. He has a voter base; will they support him against Labour ?