And they behave as though they are living in a Malta bubble, and that their lies are not picked up and read by investors, politicians in Brussels, journalists outside Malta, diplomats from foreign lands who then report back to their own governments, and observers in general.

And they lie saying that Mizzi acquired the company in 2015, when in fact Nexia BT set up the company for him in 2013, but they had to lie to explain why he didn’t declare it in 2013 and 2014, and then he failed to declare his trust to the Inland Revenue in 2015

But for Muscat there’s nothing wrong because it was declared in a “draft” return.

The mother of all fake stories.

Perhaps he’s concerned he might be stoned or pelted with rotten vegetables.

Malta will remain in that fragile situation as long Joseph Muscat’s government is not vomited out by the electorate. It is too much to expect that crime syndicate to do the honourable thing and resign en masse before destroying the island’s reputation beyond repair.

The Maltese tax regime was unchallenged since EU accession precisely because it had been cleared by all, including the Germans. It is not so much the Maltese tax system as much as the current Maltese government’s actions (and lack of), that have rubbed everyone, including the Germans, the wrong way.