Government seeking advice from ‘external’ sources, AG
The government is still seeking advice from the Attorney General as well as “external advice” to ensure that it does not do anything that in any way damages any ongoing investigation or procedure currently in court, Justice Minister Owen Bonnici told The Malta Independent yesterday.
A month and a half has passed since the Council of Europe made the recommendation in a report on the state of the rule of law in Malta to launch a public inquiry into the Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder within a threemonth timeframe, which expires at the end of September, and a month since Foreign Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said the government would honour said recommendation.
Abela had said at the event, “In that Council of Europe report there is that within three months, we need to have a public inquiry. My Prime Minister has made it very clear that a public inquiry will be set up, and the public inquiry will be set up within the three months that the Council of Europe stated.
This was the first time a government minister had confirmed the government will establish a public inquiry into the journalist’s murder since it was demanded by the Council of Europe.
The Justice Minister also noted that, as he’s said and explained many times, they are engaging with the Council of Europe to make sure that the public inquiry
does not damage any investigation or criminal procedures that are already in court.
“Nobody wants that to happen so we are making sure that things are done as they should be.”
Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia welcomed the government’s decision to set up a public inquiry into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, saying that the board must include people who are truly independent and impartial.
In a statement, Delia said Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela had promised that the board will be set up within the three-month timeframe imposed by the Council of Europe.
The board of inquiry will investigate whether adequate measures were taken to protect the journalist.
The government, Delia said, has been procrastinating on the matter for months and had to be reprimanded by the Council of Europe to take this step, Delia said.
He had also told the Prime Minister that the Opposition is willing to postpone Parliament’s summer recess so as to discuss and vote on a motion on the setting up of a public inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.