A European Parliament resolution expressing “deep concern” about the latest revelations in the investigations into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has been approved by a landslide.
The resolution, moved by the European People s Party, voices concern about the possible involvement of government ministers and political appointees in the case.
The government had sought to prevent the resolution from being debated and voted on, arguing that court proceedings are still ongoing. A Labour MEP had even vowed that the debate would be held “over our dead bodies”.
The vote was taken on Wednesday, with results announced on Thursday morning. 635 MEPs from various groupings voted in favour of the resolution, while just 46 voted against and 12 abstained. All four Labour MEPs voted against the resolution.
Maltese MEPs weigh in on Future of Europe Conference
MaltaToday speaks to Malta’s MEPs for their opinions on Future of Europe: giving the EU’s citizens a chance to have their say in the formulation of the bloc’s future policies
27 April 2021, 7:45am
by David Lindsay
With this week’s launching of the digital platform for the Conference on the Future of Europe - giving the EU’s citizens a chance to have their say in the formulation of the bloc’s future policies - we asked Malta’s MEPs for their opinions and whether they see it as a legitimate consultation exercise or one of mere propaganda. And as it turns out, they have a lot to say.
The belief of many that Malta is a truly mafia state has been reinforced by recent shocking revelations about the brutal murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and the charges of corruption and financial crime brought in court against 11 persons close to the corridors of power in connection with two magisterial inquiries.
Disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri featured in two inquiries and faces the largest number of charges that include money laundering, criminal conspiracy, corruption, fraud and forgery.
The first magisterial inquiry concerned an alleged undisclosed commission of €100,000 in kickbacks to Schembri from Brian Tonna, managing partner of financial consulting company Nexia BT, on the sale of Maltese passports to three Russian nationals in the cash-for-passports citizenship programme.
European Parliament wants to be judge, jury and executioner says Agius Saliba
Labour MEP takes aim at proponents of resolution on the rule of law in Malta and the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
23 April 2021, 1:54pm
by David Lindsay
Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba this morning came out guns blazing ahead of next week’s European Parliament vote on the hotly-disputed resolution on the rule of law in Malta and the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Accusing the European Parliament as wanting to serve as judge, jury and executioner by entertaining such a resolution while court proceedings on the subject matter are ongoing in Malta, Agius Saliba said he appealed to his fellow Socialists and Democrats at a meeting of the group yesterday to not accept such “political games”.
The Roman Republic possessed an extraordinary institute reserved for emergencies. It was limited to six months, during which the appointed dictator enjoyed considerable powers. It was used sporadically during the course of two centuries. Eventually, it had to be formally abolished after Sulla and Caesar each enacted special laws to make themselves special dictators in perpetuity.
Despite its abolition, Clinton Rossiter, of Cornell University, praised it for its positive potential when in the hands of “men of good sense and goodwill”. But Giovanni Bonello reminds us that “anything meant for gentlemen has the habit of being taken advantage of when it falls into the hands of scoundrels”.