Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party Chairperson, said, “That the Office of the Prime Minister has put on hold an ultimatum given by the Management and Personnel Office to Victor Galea, our party’s Secretary General, to choose between his job as a teacher and involvement in politics is a step in the right direction, but is simply not enough.”

“The crux of the question is that the rules of the public service on this issue are obsolete for this day and age and have to be completely overhauled, not only for Victor Galea but for all government employees,” continued Prof. Cassola.

It is heartening to note that now the government spokesperson has stated that “Somebody decided to go by the book and issued the letter to Mr Galea and the others, without questioning whether this made sense in this day and age”. But these words have to be followed by swift action.”

“Apart from the blatant discrimination against our AD official, this regulation is outdated and anti-democratic since basically, it would be only lawyers, self employed doctors and architects and other self employed people who could express their political opinions and take part in politics, whilst all people employed by the state (apart from messengers) could not.”

“This is totally anti-democratic and discriminates against a significant section of the Maltese population. Moreover, in such a small country like ours -with limited human resources- it would be absolute folly to do away with the positive contribution which so many individuals employed by the state can give.”

Arnold Cassola concluded,”Whilst thanking all those people who showed their solidarity with Victor Galea, Alternattiva Demokratika and I look forward to the immediate review of the obsolete regulations that are still in place today, despite the fact that Malta joined the EU over four years ago.”