PN Accuses Government Of Blocking Debate On Daphne Caruana Galizia Inquiry Recommendations

The Partit Nazzjonalista has accused Prime Minister Robert Abela's Government of continuing to obstruct efforts to achieve truth and justice following the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, while also condemning comments made by Valletta Cultural Agency Chairman Jason Micallef regarding banners calling for justice.

Speaking during a press conference, PN Shadow Ministers Mark Anthony Sammut and Michael Piccinino criticised the Government for refusing to debate an Opposition motion calling for all the recommendations of the Public Inquiry into Caruana Galizia's assassination to be implemented by the end of October.

They said the Opposition had presented Parliament with a clear proposal accompanied by a specific deadline, but claimed the Government was unwilling even to discuss it.

According to the PN, the decision contradicted repeated public statements by Prime Minister Robert Abela expressing support for justice and reform.

The party argued that refusing to debate the motion showed that the Government was still unwilling to take the steps recommended by the Public Inquiry five years after its publication.

The Opposition maintained that every delay in implementing the inquiry's recommendations represented a political choice for which the Prime Minister should accept responsibility.

It insisted that genuine commitment to justice required action rather than public declarations, adding that governments seeking meaningful reform should not avoid parliamentary debate or postpone necessary institutional changes.

The PN said it would continue pressing for the full implementation of the inquiry's recommendations, arguing that these were necessary to strengthen independent institutions, improve legal protections for journalists and ensure political accountability.

It also claimed that individuals who had previously targeted or criticised Daphne Caruana Galizia continued to occupy influential positions around the Government.

The Opposition also criticised remarks made by Jason Micallef, Chairman of the Valletta Cultural Agency and the Prime Minister's Special Delegate for implementing the Labour Party's electoral manifesto. Micallef described banners displayed in Valletta calling for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia as "vandalism", comments which the PN described as unacceptable.

The party argued that Micallef's statements could not be dismissed as personal opinions because he occupies public positions funded by taxpayers. It therefore called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to state clearly whether he agreed with Micallef's characterisation of the banners and whether he believed they should be removed.

The PN also asked what action, if any, the Prime Minister intended to take if he did not support Micallef's remarks, noting that this was not the first time the former Labour Party General Secretary had made comments which it described as disparaging towards journalists and the media.

According to the Opposition, Micallef's comments reflected a wider problem identified by the Public Inquiry, which concluded that the State had created a culture of impunity that enabled the circumstances surrounding Caruana Galizia's assassination. The PN argued that nearly nine years after the journalist's killing and five years after the publication of the inquiry's findings, that culture had not been fully addressed.

The party linked this to the Government's refusal to debate the Opposition motion, claiming it demonstrated continued resistance to implementing the inquiry's recommendations in full.

It argued that a country committed to learning from the assassination of a journalist should not seek to silence calls for justice or hesitate to introduce reforms designed to prevent similar failures in the future.

The PN concluded by calling on Prime Minister Robert Abela to give a clear response on whether he condemned Jason Micallef's comments and to demonstrate his commitment to justice through concrete action rather than statements alone.

#MaltaDaily