2018 Country Report on Malta

14.3.2018

Question for written answer E-001550-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz (ALDE) , David Casa (PPE)

In the 2018, Country Report on Malta, under the Commission’s European Semester, there is no mention of the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

This same report highlights the deteriorating quality of governance in Malta, particularly with respect to the rule of law and control of corruption. Moreover, it points out that a majority of Maltese citizens perceive corruption and favouritism to be widespread in the country, and that the landscape of agencies dealing with corruption allegations is fragmented, which undermines their efficiency.

The journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia denounced these same issues, such as corruption within the Maltese political system and money laundering campaigns, before she was assassinated.

Given that economic and political governance are inseparably linked, and that the status of the rule of law has a direct impact on Maltese economic life, does the Commission not consider that the report provides insufficient information in failing to mention explicitly and in detail the problems faced by the rule of law in Malta, the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the protection of whistle-blowers in corruption cases?