21
Oct
2025
Watch
Delayed justice and rule of law backsliding in Malta, eight years after Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination (debate)
Mr President, I would like to start by quoting part of the Maltese Chief Justice's speech which he gave two weeks ago. He said, "I would like to thank the Minister of Justice who has always heard my suggestions on behalf of the Maltese judiciary. Suggestions to strengthen our courts. There has always been mutual respect between us, respect based on our respective constitutional roles." The words of the Maltese Chief Justice. And so I ask. Why is this attack on our country? They told us, in the title of this debate, that we have a delay in bringing justice. Delays in bringing justice when we have five accused in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia who all passed trial, with the last trial ending a few weeks ago? Only one final trial is pending in the hands of our courts. And I ask. What is the European Parliament proposing? The Prime Minister, Robert Abela, goes to our courts and tells them to speed up the trial? You would be the first to point your fingers to us and tell us that you are interfering in the work of our courts. He told us that the rule of law went back, in this debate. Going back, the rule of law, when we passed through the Maltese Parliament a law, an average of a month's law, in order to strengthen our recommendations? Has it returned, the rule of law, when we have the greatest number of judges in our country's history, and we have given them more tools to work better? Did you return, the rule of law, when we removed powers from the hands of politicians in order to appoint the judiciary, and handed them over to an independent commission? Going back, the rule of law, when did we create the state attorney? Do you know who violates the rule of law? The Nationalist Party, part of the EPP Group, that they, having resisted for years to have a party financing law, have been violating this law for five years by not publishing their audited finances. According to Maltese law, the EPP party here is not even a recognised party in our country. So I appeal to the EPP that, before pointing their fingers to others, they see that they clean their home a bit.