The European Parliament held a minute of silence today for slain Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, during a session in Strasbourg attended by Caruana Galizia’s family.

“Daphne Caruana Galizia was a courageous woman and an outstanding journalist, who truly understood the meaning of her profession which is to investigate and discover the truth and facts without fear and favour,” European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said. “She wasn’t afraid to carry out her work to the full, and throughout her 30-year career, she never lost her spirit of commitment. She stood upright and was only answerable to her readers; they were the people to whom she was accountable.

“She published more than 20,000 articles denouncing abuse of power, corruption and maladministration. As a true journalist, she was on the frontline of defending our values. Only thanks to free and independent press are we able to stand up in defence of democracy, rule of law and freedom of expression and all those fundamental rights on which the foundations of Europe stand on.”

European Parliament president Antonio Tajani

“The example Daphne Caruana Galizia has set must never be forgotten, which is why we decided that her name will be emblazened over the press room in the European Parliament. The European Parliament will not turn aside until the truth is revealed, and we will not remain silent until the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Tajani, a former journalist, reiterated his call for an international investigation into the murder, a call which Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has already welcomed. 

“We need credibility to be able to support journalists around the world, which means we must ensure justice at home,” he said. “I hope the Maltese authorities will spare no effort to get to the bottom of this crime and I hope they leave no stone unturned. I reiterate my call for an international investigation where all police forces can make an appropriate contribution to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice.”

Was Antonio Tajani’s speech a worthy assessment of Daphne Caruana Galizia?

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]