Malta murk ousts PM

Muscat quits amid anger over crusading reporter’s murder

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has announced he will resign in January after an outcry over a 2017 car bombing that killed an anti-corruption journalist.

In a televised message to the nation, Muscat (pictured) said he had informed Malta’s president that he will quit as leader of the governing Labor Party on January 12 and that “in the days after I will resign as prime minister”.

Hours earlier, nearly 20,000 Maltese protested outside a courthouse in the capital, Valletta, demanding that he step down in the e largest such turn- out of nearly daily y protests in recent t weeks.

“As prime minis- ter, I promised two years ago that justice would be done in the case of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia,” Muscat said, beginning his speech, adding that: “Today I am here to tell you that I kept my word.”

But the slain reporter’s family contended Muscat’s departure won’t satisfy those in the nation who are determined t that corruption and c cronyism between p politicians and business figures be rooted out.

“People will be out in the streets again tomorrow,” tweeted o one of her sons, Matthew Caruana Galizia, who is also a journalist.

Muscat contended that “justice is being done”. He noted that in addition to three people arrested soon after the bombing for carrying out the actual attack, now there is “someone accused of being the principal person behind this killing”. Muscat was referring to prominent Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech who, on Saturday night, was arraigned on charges of alleged complicity in the killing and of allegedly organising and financing the bombing. Fenech denies the charges. Muscat’s former chief of staff Keith Schembri was also allegedly linked to the killing. Schembri was among government members targeted by Caruana Galizia’s investigative reporting. Schembri, who resigned last week, was arrested in the probe but later released. He denies wrongdoing. The prime minister said the investigation continues.

The slain reporter had written extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles in Malta.

Among her targets were those in Muscat’s political inner circle, including those in his cabinet. “I reiterate my deepest regret that a person, who, with all her positive and negative qualities and contribution toward the democracy of our country, was killed in such a brutal way,” Muscat said.