‘Not enough done to prevent another Jean Paul Sofia’, says Isabelle Bonnici at European Parliament event hosted by MEP Peter Agius

Today, during a round table discussion titled "Justice for Victims of Construction in Malta" held in the European Parliament, MEP Peter Agius (EPP, MT) has urged local authorities to address the systemic regulatory failures that continue to put lives at risk in the construction sector.  Building on the findings of the recent Sofia inquiry in Malta, Dr. Agius called for robust, accountable reforms to ensure justice for victims and prevent future tragedies.

The inquiry revealed over 40 critical recommendations, including stricter oversight, elimination of fast-track permits, and mandatory geological and safety reports for excavation works. Agius criticized the government's reactive approach, stating, "Legislation without enforcement is meaningless. We owe it to the victims and their families to ensure laws are rigorously applied."

Isabelle Bonnici, mother of Jean Paul Sofia, addressed the round-table event, saying, “In Malta, we have a culture of bullies and cowboys in this sector, and they try to instill fear in those who stand up to them to prevent them from continuing to cause harm. We need to do more to avoid another accident like that which killed my son. We still await revised building codes. We still need to see the Jean Paul Sofia inquiry reccomendations implemented in full.”

The roundtable discussion was also addressed by the Director General of the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) Domenico Campogrande who confirmed that there is a wide-ranging legislative framework that needs to be properly implemented and enforced. “Adequate and efficient controls have to be put in place, with appropriate sanctions in case of non-compliance”, said Mr. Campogrande

PN Opposition MP Jerome Caruana Cilia also participated in the discussion warning of dire consequences if there is no decisive action: “If we don’t have the will and courage to address this problem at its roots, I fear that history will repeat itself.”

Patricia Perez Gomez from the European Commission also addressed the event highlighting the existing EU rules on Health and Safety at work while emphasising that established rules will not lead to desired results without proper enforcement, which remains a Member State responsibility.

MEP Peter Agius concluded his intervention with a call to action endorsed by participants, addressed to Maltese and European authorities including an appeal to the European Commission to provide oversight and guidance to local authorities to ensure that safety reforms are implemented effectively.