“What Are They Afraid Of If They Have Nothing To Hide?” Former Dutch MP On Labour Anti-Corruption Promises
Former Dutch MP Pieter Omtzigt, who led the Council of Europe’s campaign for justice following the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, says Malta has made “little progress” since her death in 2017.
During a visit to Malta marking the eighth anniversary of the investigative journalist’s murder, Omtzigt said he was disappointed by the lack of political reform and accountability, according to Times of Malta.
“Unfortunately, I have seen little change in political culture, little progress in the reforms, and still very few convictions in the high-profile crime and corruption cases that shook Maltese society,” he said.
A 2021 public inquiry had urged authorities to tackle corruption and illicit wealth by introducing reforms such as unexplained wealth orders, stricter lobbying regulations, and criminal penalties for officials obstructing justice. But according to Omtzigt, most of these recommendations remain unimplemented.
The Dutch politician, who founded the centrist New Social Contract party in 2023 to promote rule of law in the Netherlands, questioned Malta’s reluctance to act. “What are they afraid of if they have nothing to hide?” he asked.
Omtzigt noted that GRECO, the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body, had already warned in 2018 that Malta’s police and Attorney General’s office were reluctant to pursue corruption involving powerful figures, a situation he says “sadly still stands.”
He also criticised Malta’s weak system of checks and balances. “The executive power is not kept in check,” Omtzigt said, pointing to the country’s “extremely weak” parliament. Many MPs, he noted, hold government positions or agency roles, compromising their independence.
“Parliamentary scrutiny means checking each law, line by line,” he said. “Countries like Luxembourg and Iceland manage to do this effectively, there is no reason Malta cannot.”
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