Mr. John Caruana, a senior official at the Central Bank of Malta, has crossed a line — not merely by lighting candles at the Great Siege Monument, but by treating it as his personal altar in open defiance of heritage laws and public norms. What should have been a quiet act of private mourning was turned into a public, political spectacle by a man who ought to know better. It was not discreet, not authorized, and certainly not befitting his role as a high-ranking civil servant.
Rather than address the legitimacy of the concerns raised about his conduct, Caruana has chosen a different path — one of institutional intimidation. He filed a formal complaint with the Information and Data Protection Commissioner, targeting this publication for exposing behavior that dozens witnessed and documented. The irony is glaring: a man who staged a public display at a national monument now claims victimhood because someone dared to report it.
Mr. John Caruana, Head of the Monetary Policy and Operations and Eurosystem Relations Department at the CBM, treated the Great Siege Monument not as a symbol of national pride, but as a personal shrine — without permission and in defiance of heritage laws. The act was not isolated, and it wasn’t discreet. It was public, provocative, and, some argue, unlawful.
Instead of addressing the questions raised about his conduct, Caruana chose retaliation. He filed a formal complaint with the Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner — targeting me who publicly exposed his actions. The irony? A man making a very public statement at a national monument now claims to be a victim of exposure.
Legal experts who contacted this portal have weighed in on this growing controversy.
A constitutional and public law lecturer remarked:
“There is a distinction between free expression and damage to public property. Placing candles repeatedly on a national monument could be construed as interference with a protected heritage site. If done without proper permits or maintenance, such acts are not protected under freedom of expression, especially when done by public officials.”
A criminal and administrative law consultant added:
“What’s alarming is not only the act itself, but the reaction. Filing a complaint against a citizen who commented on publicly visible behavior suggests an attempt to intimidate or silence dissent. That is a red flag when it comes to transparency and public accountability.”
Despite the public attention, the Central Bank of Malta has so far remained silent. No internal investigation, no public clarification, no distancing from Caruana’s actions. This silence is telling — and it suggests complicity or, worse, indifference to conduct unbecoming of a senior civil servant.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about candles. It’s about double standards. It’s about a man who uses a national monument for political symbolism, then cries foul when someone points it out. It’s about selective outrage and weaponized complaints.
This site will not be silenced. We stand by our reporting — and we will continue to hold public officials to account, especially those who hide behind legal technicalities while desecrating the very symbols they claim to honor.
Stay tuned. This story is far from over.
