Assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia: EPP Group calls for full inquiry

"The murder of prominent investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta is tragic proof that the concerns regarding the deteriorating situation in Malta, which the EPP Group has expressed repeatedly over the past months, were entirely founded", said Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, today.

"It is a dark day for democracy when journalists are being silenced by murder. A free nation and full member of the European Union can and should not allow such shocking events to occur. We ask for a full inquiry.

Mrs Caruana Galizia  was known internationally for her hard stance against corruption and organised crime. She was the local journalist who revealed the Panama Papers scandal that exposed the Maltese Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff and the then Maltese Energy Minister’s secret companies abroad.

The EPP Group calls on the European Commission to act and make sure that a deep and thorough investigation is conducted on the case of Mrs Caruana Galizia's murder and that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.

We also request an urgent statement by the Commission on intimidation of the press and the protection of media freedom in Malta at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg next week", said Manfred Weber.