Simon Busuttil Calls For President George Vella’s Resignation Following Public Inquiry
Former Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has urged President George Vella to step down in light of the findings of the public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The inquiry, published last week, found the Cabinet to have been at least partly responsible for the assassination, mainly as a result of its failure to take the necessary steps to ensure the journalist’s safety.
Cabinet was also criticised for allowing power to be concentrated within the hands of the Prime Minister and those close to him. Vella was part of Muscat’s cabinet between 2013 and 2017, occupying the role of Foreign Minister.
He did not contest the 2017 election and was eventually nominated to be President by Muscat.
“Such is the scale of degeneration of state institutions: even the President of Malta was a minister in Joseph Muscat’s disgraced Cabinet, and shares collective responsibility for the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.”
“If he truly respects his Office, then he too must go,” Busuttil said.
Last week, both the Nationalist Party and civil society group Repubblika called on all those Cabinet members named in the inquiry to step down in light of the inquiry’s findings.
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that the government accepts the inquiry’s findings and is committed to implementing the recommendations made.
Do you agree with the former Opposition leader?
READ NEXT: 'I Cannot Believe It': Heartfelt Tributes Pour In Following Death Of Young Maltese Father
