The Malta Police Association has publicly condemned Prime Minister Dr Robert Abela's iniative to revoke social distancing fines handed out over the past few months, calling it "a big insult."

A statement issued by the Malta Police Association this afternoon reads: "We believe this is a big insult to all the work carried out by corps members in the past few months, where a lot of them risked their own and family's health to ensure the legal notices issued by the Public Health Superintendent are observed."

With an increased workload since lifts in measures were announced, the association puts forward a pressing query: "Prime Minister how will the Police and relevant authorities carry out their duties in light of these restrictions when the public has been informed that they may not be fined for not observing these regulations, and thus automatically introducing the mentality that everything is permissible?"

The post continues to highlight hardships felt during the pandemic: "Some colleagues were assaulted or threatened while carrying out their duties," the statement reads. Appealing for the police corps' past, present and future efforts to be respected, the statement reiterates that: "The MPA feels that this is a major insult towards the majority of the Maltese and Gozitan population who was disciplined and observed all legal notices in this period."

Remarking that people who genuinely forgot to wear their seatbelts or parked illegally are not criminals either, and indicating the discriminatory discrepancy in argument between the two, the association made its view clear: "We believe the Courts and Justice Tribunals should have the power to make such decisions without political pressure."

"Police corps members deserve much better for their hard work," the statement concluded.