Ursula Von Der Leyen, the European Commission President, has landed in Malta 47 months since journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination and activist group Repubblika is calling on her to formally acknowledge the EU’s failure to prevent a state of impunity developing in the country. 

Making special reference to the findings of the public inquiry linked to the assassination, Repubblika said:

“We are sure that you agree that the development of such a state of affairs in a European Union Member State is a failure for the Union itself.”

“The impunity for corruption and wrongdoing in Malta has long been exposed and been brought to the attention of the European institutions; however it is our considered opinion that the European Union failed to sanction it in a timely manner. This failure allowed impunity to grow to such an extent that Daphne was assassinated.”

“Repubblika believes that the European Union has the responsibility to acknowledge its failure in allowing such a situation to develop and take root in a Member State; seek to understand the reasons that led to such failure and how its actions and/or inactions led to such failures; undertake the necessary measures to prevent the development of similar situations.”

Von der Leyen is on her first visit to Malta since being appointed European Commission President as part of a Recovery Plan for the bloc following the pandemic. She will be visiting Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela at Castille at 14.50 today.

The pair will discuss a number of items behind closed doors and it is believed that certain issues will be aired during the meeting.

Later today, a vigil will be held at the Daphne Caruana Galizia protest memorial. It is as yet unknown whether Von Der Leyen will attend.

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