PM challenges Delia to request inquiry into Caruana Galizia allegations
● Claims do not merit an inquiry, Delia replies
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday challenged PN leader Adrian Delia to approach the courts and request an inquiry into the allegations that Daphne Caruana Galizia made about him and the people around him.
Speaking in Parliament in what was supposed to have been his reaction to the Opposition Leader’s reply to the budget, Muscat noted that Delia had dropped the libels against Caruana Galizia after she was killed.
“The truth is, Daphne Caruana Galizia testified in court over the allegations about me and my family, but we will never hear her testify on the allegations surrounding you.”
Muscat said he was very consistent and would not go to Parliament pretending that he liked Caruana Galizia. “She was consistent in her inconsistencies.”
“Sometimes she came up with really good, well-researched articles, but sometimes she came up with blogs that were utter gossip. She went from making a perfect analysis to jumping to conclusions, simply based on rumors.”
Muscat said he had only spoke to Daphne four times in total, and only once in person. “The first time was when she phoned me for my address, so that she could sue me for libel.”
He said over the years she wrote about him and his wife and children. “Never, however, in these last 20 years, have I gone in public to attack her.”
He said that he had always remained calm, even when he was personally attacked. “I never felt the need to hysterically attack her. My family and I got used to live in the world she created. Every time we went into a restaurant we assumed someone was taking pictures of us.”
Muscat said that he would be a hypocrite to come in parliament without saying these things. “Despite all this, there is not one single cell in my body that is not sad for what happened to her.”
He referred to the pending libels. “Caruana Galizia testified about me once, twice. But what she had to say about the Leader of the Opposition will never come out. When Daphne made serious allegations against me, I asked the court to investigate. And I have always said that if there was even minimal doubt that what was said was true, I would resign. Delia now has no other option but to ask the courts to investigate and if anything she said was true, he should resign.
“The Opposition Leader has a huge problem because of what he said about Daphne Caruana Galizia and because of what she said about him. I am being as truthful as possible, struggling to communicate my sadness and anger. What we saw these last two days is not the Malta I dream of. We can be much better than this.
“This is a sad moment in our history and I want to speak on what happened to Daphne Caruana Galizia. The public want their leaders to speak.”
He lashed out at the Opposition for trying to divide, not unite the country.
“I intend to do the exact opposite. I will try my best to help in unity and show you how much I believe in our institutions.”
Some members of the Opposition could not help but boo in disapproval, telling the PM that he was being disrespectful.
He said he had never criticised the institutions, then proceeded to blast the PN for attacking the police, the AFM and even the Attorney General, who was appointed by a PN government.
On the blogger’s death, Muscat said that one has to be very responsible and not point fingers.
“Delia is referring to it as a political murder. How can he say that? Isn’t it premature to say so? This is no new way. This is a very old way.”
Again he said the journalist could have been murdered over something she had yet to write about.
“I am sad, but full of courage. I am tired, but I will not give up. We have a lot more coming up and we’re looking forward to implement it.”
Delia replies
Addressing a press conference shortly afterwards, Adrian Delia insisted that Daphne Caruana Galizia’s claims did not merit him calling for an inquiry. The PN leader also insisted that he did not know who the people who threatened Caruana Galizia were.
The blogger had claimed she had received death threats by people from Delia’s camp. The PN leader said he did not know the names but condemned the actions nonetheless.
He blasted the Prime Minister for brushing off all political responsibility. Muscat, he said, had taken decisions that had created the environment for this crime to happen.
Delia also pointed out that the PM had first said foreign experts would be brought in to lend credibility to the investigation.
Now he had changed his version and said that only these teams had the required equipment. He also said the PN has faith in the new magistrate leading the inquiry.