MEP Ana Gomes calls for joint EP committee hearing on Caruana Galizia murder investigation
Socialist MEP Ana Gomes, who was the chair of the European Parliament’s rule of law delegation to Malta, has written to the chair of the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and to the chair of the Special Committee on Financial Crimes, Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance (TAX3), requesting a joint hearing on the investigation into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Gomes said members of the ad hoc delegation she had chaired, and which had visited Malta after the murder, were concerned about recent reports coming from the Daphne Project, “suggesting worrying failures in the Maltese police investigation, namely for absence of follow up of very significant information which could lead to identify who ordered the assassination, not just the suspects of the material placement and detonation of the bomb, who have been arrested.”
She also referred to a report in The New York Times, which quoted a source as saying that the Malta police were not actively looking into whether the crime had been motivated by Caruana Galizia’s reporting on politicians.
Gomes also referred to reports that Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar had justified a lack of action to investigate recent claims against Economy Minister Chris Cardona, citing lack of resources.
She also pointed to replies sent to her by outgoing Europol director Robert Wainwright, which she described as “extremely worrying.”
Wainwright had written to Gomes that the investigation was extremely complex and that new concerns had arisen in the investigation, and that there was “room for improvement.”
While speaking about the investigation into the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Jan Kuciak, Wainwright had also highlighted the limitations of the Europol Directive, “which obliges Europol to rely on the information provided by the designated national competent authorities, and to report developments in the case, including any matters arising of concern, solely to those authorities.”
“In light of this, and since the monitoring of the criminal investigation of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder is within the remit of both committees, I urge you to organise a joint LIBE/TAX3 hearing to discuss the developments of the criminal inquiry into the assassination. Mr Wainwright’s letter reaffirms my belief that this case is not restricted to Malta, it is a concern for the whole European Union.”
Gomes suggested that Wainwright and his successor, Catherine de Bolle, be invited to the hearing. Gomes also suggested inviting Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar, Attorney General Peter Grech and a representative of the Daphne Project.
Asked for comment, MEP David Casa, who forms part of the ad hoc delegation investigating the rule of law in Malta chaired by MEP Ana Gomes stated: “It is painfully clear there is something very wrong with way the investigation into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination is being handled. The European Parliament will continue to monitor the situation very closely.”
“It is bizarre that no politicians have even been interrogated. Suspicions that the authorities have no interest in bringing the mastermind to justice are inevitable. If those suspicions are proved correct, the consequences will be severe.”