The Party of European Socialists, of which Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Labour Party form part of, has said that Malta is “a symbol of corruption” during a debate over the recent developments in the Daphne Caruana Galizia investigation.

“[Ensuring changes to the rule of law] will be a difficult job in a country of 500,000 citizens and widespread corruption,” MEP Birgit Sippel who was speaking on behalf of the PES told the European Parliament.

While Sippel repeatedly called out corruption issues in the country, she refrained from calling for Muscat’s immediate resignation, as other MEPs and EU Officials did.

For example, Gonzales Pons, on behalf of the European People’s Party, said that every day Muscat stays in office is a shame on democracy.

“It is a slap in the face of a thousand Maltese people,” he told Parliament.

The debate was called after the arrest and charge of Yorgen Fenech in connection with the assassination, and the murder’s links to the Office of the Prime Minister.

A fact-finding MEP delegation came to Malta following the country’s descent into a political crisis after the Office of the Prime Minister was heavily linked to Caruana Galizia’s assassination.

The delegation has repeatedly called for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s immediate resignation with fears that he could interfere with investigations. This was repeated by Sophia In’t Veld and Sven Giegold, with the latter reiterating that article 7 proceedings must be started against Malta.

However, Muscat has remained stubborn in insisting that he stay till 12th January.

Commissioner Vera Jourova,  who opened the sitting, steered clear of calling for resignations, rather promoting the importance of working with the state authorities to ensure truth and justice prevail. She did raise concerns that recommendations from both the Venice Commission and EU Commission are being implemented far too slowly by the Maltese government.

The debate is still on-going and can be followed below: