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President Requested To Strip Tony Zarb Off Malta’s Highest Honour For His Crass Caruana Galizia Comments

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Tony Zarb was awarded the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika in 2015

Former PN secretary general Paul Borg Olivier has formally asked the President to strip Tony Zarb of his Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour after he publicly expressed delight at Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death.

Zarb, a consultant to the Tourism Ministry and former secretary-general of the General Workers’ Union, caused controversy yesterday when he said that it is a good thing for Malta that Caruana Galizia is no longer alive.

In a video blog directed to activists seeking justice for the assassinated journalist, Zarb said: “You can carry on with your stupid antics (bużulotti), you can carry on placing flowers for her and you can carry on adoring her, but the most important thing for our Malta is that she never returns. Let’s keep creating wealth for Malta, let’s keep on defending Malta and let’s keep on saying ‘Viva Malta’ because our Malta is truly going through the best of times”.

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Borg Olivier has now formally asked President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca to strip Zarb of his Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour, which was bestowed on him in 2015, as a punishment for “hate speech”.

“Zarb justified the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia as well as the actions of the three men who have been charged with her murder,” he wrote. “In light of this hate speech, I once again urge you to strip Tony Zarb of this honour, an honour he clearly doesn’t deserve.”

The Ġieħ ir-Repubblika Act allows the President to revoke such honours from recipients guilty of unworthy conduct, but only after a parliamentary resolution. After this President pointed this out in an official response to Borg Olivier, the former PN secretary general said he was aware of the law but wanted to bring Zarb’s comments to the attention of the highest office in the country.

“Legally, the Government grants, Parliament strips and the President keeps hosting those honoured unless they are stripped,” he said. “Perhaps the Labour Whip can call for this to be done.”

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This is the second time that Borg Olivier has formally requested the stripping off of Zarb’s Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour, with the first time being after the government consultant compared women protesting outside Castille to prostitutes.

Women’s rights activists back then had reported Zarb to the police for hate speech, but the police eventually pressed charges against the consultant for misuse of electronic equipment.

Zarb deleted his inflammatory post and apologised to “genuine women” who were offended by his remarks.

Do you think Tony Zarb should be stripped off his award?

READ NEXT: Civil Liberties Minister Calls Out Former PN Radio Host For ‘Pouring Sexist Abuse’ On Labour MP

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]

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