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Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

The public inquiry found that the journalist’s assassination was predictable and preventable. There is evidence linking this to the former government. So why has this not been a wake-up alarm for Maltese politics? Still today, journalists do not feel safe in Malta. And then we have the disease of corruption – corruption scandals coming one after the other, the latest one in March 2023. Investigative journalists revealed a EUR 200 million public contract signed in 2017 by the government, privatising free hospitals. The management was transferred to a company totally incompetent for it. Since then, the deal has been ignored by a court for suspicion of corruption and fraud. So, yes, sometimes it feels like democracy is suffocating in Malta: huge difficulties to access public information, public officials being protected from prosecution, incredible number of lawsuits against journalists, houses collapsing because building standards have not been met, money laundering, golden visas, a polarised landscape maintaining old powers in place, attacks on women’s rights. And I could go on. Yes, in this Parliament, we are all well aware of all of this happening in Malta. But I am also very well aware that if we’ve had in this Parliament a number of debates – numerous debates – about Malta and a number of strong resolutions about Malta, it seems that we never have the time or the opportunity to have in-depth public scrutiny of the situation of the rule of law in other countries, like Greece or Bulgaria, for example, with a high level of corruption and very big threats for journalists. So why is that? I was wondering: is this Parliament suffering from a high sensitivity to rule of law issues only when it’s about countries that are not governed by the EPP?
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Beata Kempa
Political group: ECR
Country: Czechia
Language: PL

Władze Malty powinny zadbać niezwłocznie o skazanie wszystkich odpowiedzialnych, niezależnie od piastowanych funkcji. Ale rezolucja, poza słusznym potępieniem tego strasznego zabójstwa, zawiera jednak zupełnie niepowiązane z tą sprawą wtręty ideologiczne, w sprawach których Unia nie ma kompletnie żadnych kompetencji. Mam tu na myśli wezwanie Malty do zapewnienia legalnej aborcji. Tego rodzaju wezwania miały również miejsce w odniesieniu do mojego kraju. To są zachowania niedopuszczalne i namawiam wszystkich do sprzeciwiania się temu. Powinniśmy się skupić na walce z przestępczością w tych krajach, w których morduje się dziennikarzy.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Gianantonio Da Re
Political group: ID
Country: France
Language: IT

La Commissione europea, sempre molto attenta a richiamare l'Italia in caso di violazione dello Stato di diritto, sembra essersi dimenticata del governo maltese, che nulla ha fatto per consegnare alla giustizia tutti i responsabili dell'omicidio e tutelare la libertà di stampa. A sei anni di distanza, la famiglia di Daphne Caruana e tutti i cittadini europei attendono risposte su questo barbaro omicidio. L'Unione europea non giri le spalle alla giustizia e intervenga efficacemente nella salvaguardia della democrazia, della libertà di informazione e dello Stato di diritto.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Konstantinos Arvanitis
Political group: The Left
Country: Greece
Language: EL

Από τότε μέχρι σήμερα, μετράμε νεκρούς δημοσιογράφους: τον Ján Kuciak και τη μνηστή του το 2018, τη Viktoria Marinova το 2018, τον Γιώργο Καραϊβάζ το 2021, τον Ολλανδό Peter de Vries το 2021. Αυτά συμβαίνουν στην Ευρώπη της δημοκρατίας, του κράτους δικαίου, της ελευθερίας της έκφρασης. Αγαπητοί συνάδελφοι, όσο επικρατεί η αντίληψη ότι η κουλτούρα της ατιμωρησίας, αλλά και η φίμωση και η συγκάλυψη, υπερισχύουν της αλήθειας, καθώς έχει γίνει πλέον κανονικότητα η εγκατάλειψη της προστασίας των δημοσιογράφων και της ίδιας δημοσιογραφίας από κακόβουλες επιθέσεις, πολύ φοβάμαι ότι θα έχουμε συνέχεια.  Η οικογένεια της Daphne Caruana Galizia ακόμα περιμένει δικαίωση· το ίδιο και η οικογένεια του συναδέλφου μου, του Γιώργου Καραϊβάζ. Ως ύστατη κίνηση για τους δημοσιογράφους που χάθηκαν, προτείνω σε όλους σας, σε όλες τις δημοκρατικές πολιτικές ομάδες, με πρωτοβουλία του Κοινοβουλίου μας, να υιοθετηθούν από εμάς οι οικογένειες των θυμάτων της ελεύθερης έκφρασης. Προτείνω δηλαδή τη θέσπιση ενός ταμείου στήριξης και ενίσχυσης, για να μπορούν οι άνθρωποι, σύζυγοι και παιδιά, μέσα στον πόνο τους, να αντέξουν, να πατούν στα πόδια τους, πέρα από την περηφάνια που έχουν για το έργο των ανθρώπων τους.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Jeroen Lenaers
Political group: PPE
Country: France
Language: EN

Madam President, Madam Vice-President, last weekend I read the very moving story of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s son Paul in  All of this in retaliation for her work in exposing corruption at the highest levels of the Maltese Government. It is terrifying that the public inquiry concluded that Daphne’s death was both predictable and preventable, due to the total collapse of the rule of law in Malta. Every October we commemorate her life and work and, in the past six years, frustration has only increased with the continued culture of impunity in Malta because there is still no full justice for her murder, there is still no real progress in implementing the inquiry’s recommendations to protect journalists. There is still a total failure to address the corruption exposed, evidenced also by the most recent vote-buying and driving licence scandals. It just doesn’t stop. Daphne’s husband and sons expressed their anger in a letter received by many of us, rightly asking the EU to take action to restore the rule of law, because the State’s failures that made their wife and mother’s murder possible have not been reversed, exposing others to the very same danger. Daphne’s family was never interested in justice without change. Six years later, they are still sadly waiting for both. It is a disgrace, a disgrace for Malta and a disgrace for the whole European Union.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Cyrus Engerer
Political group: S-D
Country: Romania
Language: MT

Sinjura President, il-Maltin u l-Għawdxin iddejqu bis-sistema politika ta’ pajjiżna bbażata fuq it-tfigħ ta’ tajn. Sistema ta’ żewġ tribujiet fejn kollox abjad jew kollox iswed u fejn il-ħsieb kritiku narmuh ’il barra mit-tieqa. U dan kollu esperjenzajnieh u esportajnieh minn pajjiżna u ġibnieh fil-Parlament Ewropew ta’ mill-inqas darba fis-sena. Għax bħalma qalu sħabi Sophie, Gwendoline u Konstantinos, għall-PPE jimporta biss li niddiskutu dawk il-pajjiżi li m’għandhomx gvern tal-PPE. Fejn hi d-diskussjoni fuq il-Bulgarija u fejn hi d-diskussjoni fuq il-Greċja? Però, irrispettivament minn dak kollu, kemm nippreferi illi biex infakkru l-assassinju u l-ħidma tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia, li nqatlet minħabba dak li kienet qed tikteb, niddjalogaw flimkien bħala Maltin u Għawdxin, anke ma’ sħabna Ewropej jekk hemm bżonn, biex nipproponu flimkien it-triq ’il quddiem biex insaħħu d-demokrazija tagħna. Hekk għamilt din il-ġimgħa meta ġejt mistieden għal diskussjoni biex naqsmu l-ħsibijiet. U bħala Laburist u Soċjalist skont l-istatut u l-prinċipji tiegħi, ressaqt ħames proposti filwaqt illi saħħaħt oħrajn, fosthom illi għandna bżonn inbiddlu s-sistema elettorali ta’ pajjiżna u għandna bżonn bidla radikali fil-liġijiet tal-finanzjament tal-partiti f’pajjiżna. Ovvjament, il-Partit Nazzjonalista mhux se jaqbel għax lanqas biss idaħħal is-sottomissjonijiet tiegħu skont il-liġi u l-finanzi tiegħu skont il-liġi. Però dak huwa li għandna bżonn u nittama illi fit-triq ’il quddiem niddjalogaw iktar flimkien, inneħħu l-polarizzazzjoni li teżisti f’pajjiżna sabiex flimkien insaħħu lil pajjiżna bil-valuri tagħna Maltin u l-valuri tagħna Ewropej.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Ramona Strugariu
Political group: Renew
Country: Italy
Language: EN

Madam President, during Daphne’s lifetime, not one public official was prosecuted for the high-level corruption she exposed. None have been prosecuted since her death. I open the quote: ‘The root cause of the murders of most journalists in Europe, Ján Kuciak and Daphne among them, is high-level corruption. As long as there is impunity for corruption, there will be murders of journalists. Action by the EU now is critical to restore the rule of law, and to make our wife and mother’s murder the first and the last assassination of a journalist in Malta. Yours sincerely, Peter, Matthew, Andrew and Paul Caruana Galizia.’ We owe to Daphne’s memory, to her family, to all independent journalists, and to all our citizens not only a strong anti-SLAPP directive, we owe them integrity, laws to fight corruption and defend the rule of law, transparency. We owe them accountability. We owe them everything that those politicians, guilty for Daphne’s death, were not. Nobody should die because they revealed the truth. They should get full support in revealing the truth. This means respect and praising their work a lot more than words, awards or anything else.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Diana Riba i Giner
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: France
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, señora comisaria, hace un año, con ocasión del quinto aniversario del asesinato de Daphne Caruana Galizia, intervine para exigir la adopción de la normativa a nivel europeo que evitase que casos como el suyo volvieran a repetirse. Un año después, estamos negociando con la Comisión y el Consejo dos piezas legislativas importantísimas para asegurar la protección de los periodistas. Por un lado, la de la libertad de los medios de comunicación —la Directiva anti-SLAPP— y, por otro lado, la de la libertad de expresión —la Media Freedom Act—, ambas llamadas a ser pilares básicos de nuestra democracia. Hace un año también denunciábamos que aquellos que ordenaron y pagaron por el asesinato de Daphne continuaban libres. Esto, desgraciadamente, continúa siendo así a día de hoy. Exigimos de nuevo a las autoridades maltesas celeridad en los juicios e investigaciones y que cesen el clima de hostilidad hacia periodistas y medios de comunicación. Daphne, tu legado sigue más vivo que nunca y nos sirve de guía para avanzar hacia una hacia una sociedad mejor.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Paulo Rangel
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Madam President, Daphne Caruana Galizia was a martyr for freedom in Malta and martyr for freedom in Europe. Six years after this brutal crime, we are still waiting for justice to be made – justice to Daphne, to her family, to the Maltese people, to the European citizens. How can the Commission be so shy on the rule of law situation in Malta? How can Member States remain silently complicit? How can the S&D congratulate judicial reforms that actually maintain an environment of impunity, which has actually increased? According to the Council of Europe, impunity has increased, together with further deteriorating media and freedom, and pluralism. Where are your strong words of condemnation? Does your group’s sorrow depend on the colour of the government? It is unbelievable that, as S&D always does in different issues, be it about physical borders or media freedom, you preach one thing in the European Parliament, and forget to draw attention to the policies of your own governments. Yes, colleagues, I am referring to Daphne, to Malta, but also to Ján Kuciak, to Slovakia. In the case of Slovakia, your feeble and weak reaction took five years! Five long years! How much longer will you wait to react to the rule of law situation in Malta?
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Paulo Rangel
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Not like the S&D, where our Socialists never defended the expulsion of SMER. Even now, it was only a suspension. And I would like the Greens also to speak. But not me, not me, not me. That’s what you are ...
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Cyrus Engerer
Political group: S-D
Country: Romania
Language: EN

However, Mr Rangel, you haven’t said, do you condemn what happened in Greece? How did you vote? You mentioned your voting: how did you vote and how did your party, your group vote here in Parliament when it came to condemning Greece on the scandal where the EPP Government was wiretapping a number of journalists and politicians? And how did you vote on Bulgaria, and how did your group vote on Bulgaria? Let’s not forget that it took you 10 years to suspend and expel Fidesz from your group, so I think actions speak louder than words.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Paulo Rangel
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

In Malta, there is a systematic problem – six years without any prosecution of this crime. This is terrible and is a shame that you here – even Mr Daniel Freund – try to compare the assassination of journalists with other kinds of misuse of power. This is a shame, a shame, Mr Freund. You have double standards. That is the problem!
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Sophia in 't Veld
Political group: Renew
Country: Poland
Language: EN

Dear colleague Rangel, there is a systemic problem with the rule of law in Greece. You mentioned Daphne Caruana, you mentioned Ján Kuciak, but there’s one journalist who was murdered two and a half years ago, and his murder is not being investigated – it’s Giorgos Karaivaz. Do I have your support to put it here on the agenda?
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Paulo Rangel
Political group: PPE
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Again, I say: one thing is systematic violation of rule of law, another thing is violation of some norms, rules and behaviours that are regrettable and should be condemned, but are not really a systematic violation of the rule of law.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Juan Fernando López Aguilar
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, vicepresidenta Jourová, señor presidente en ejercicio del Consejo, hace ahora seis años que tuvo lugar el abominable asesinato de Daphne Caruana, una valerosa periodista de investigación en Malta. Y, lamentablemente, no ha sido la única periodista ni el único periodista asesinado en los Estados miembros en los últimos años. Y, sin embargo, este Parlamento ha deducido las lecciones. Ha aprobado la legislación contra la litigación truculenta para intimidar periodistas o silenciar (SLAPP), y la Media Freedom Act. Además, ha puesto en marcha un marco del Estado de Derecho que nos enseña una lección muy clara: la diferencia entre aquellos Estados que han sido señalados por un riesgo claro de violación grave y sistémica de la idea europea de democracia, Estado de Derecho y derechos fundamentales con respecto de aquellos otros en los que puede haber algún episodio que suscite preocupación pero que no plantean una amenaza sistémica al Estado de Derecho. Y creo que es injusto señalar a Malta como una amenaza al Estado de Derecho, porque no lo es. De hecho, en Malta se están produciendo reformas orientadas no solamente a poner al día su sistema judicial, sino a incorporar las recomendaciones de la Comisión de Venecia y a proteger la libertad de expresión en el sentido que indican los mandatos de este Parlamento Europeo. Por tanto, si no queremos practicar dobles estándares, empecemos por decir con toda claridad que no es lo mismo una amenaza sistémica al Estado de Derecho que utilizar el Estado de Derecho contra un país miembro de la Unión Europea.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Maite Pagazaurtundúa
Political group: Renew
Country: Germany
Language: ES

Señora presidenta, nuestra responsabilidad hoy es analizar el compromiso y valentía de Daphne Caruana. Y también si el trauma de su asesinato hace seis años sirvió suficientemente para cambiar la situación de corrupción en Malta y el ambiente de impunidad. Lamentablemente, del todo no es así. La investigación de su muerte indicó que el Gobierno, con su corrupción, creó una atmósfera de impunidad que condujo a la degradación del Estado de Derecho desde los más altos niveles del Gobierno. Y no tenemos sentencia. Hay, además, noticias sobre escándalos cada uno de los días: compra de votos, tratos de favor administrativos, clientelismo y control social. Esto, señorías, es así. Da igual el color del Gobierno donde ocurran cosas de este tipo.  Y las recomendaciones que vamos a votar deben ser contra ese ambiente de impunidad que generó el asesinato de Daphne Caruana. Y sabiendo que necesitamos proteger a cada uno de los periodistas de investigación que luchan contra la corrupción en cada uno de los lugares donde ocurren este tipo de cuestiones. Porque la calidad de nuestras democracias es cosa de todos en la Unión Europea. Y da igual que la corrupción sea de izquierdas o de derechas. Se lo debemos a Daphne, a su familia, a los ciudadanos honrados y a los funcionarios que siguen siendo honrados.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Daniel Freund
Political group: Verts/ALE
Country: Spain
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin! Danke, dass Sie eben die Debatte hier erlaubt haben. Ich war in der letzten Woche im polnischen Wahlkampf unterwegs und habe mit mehreren Journalisten von Fernsehsendern und Zeitungen gesprochen in Polen, die ganz erhebliche Sorgen hatten, ob ihr Job noch existiert nach dieser Wahl, ob ihr Medium noch eine Lizenz hat oder ob sie aus dem Markt gedrängt werden. Ich glaube, das zeigt, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen, dass wir auch sechs Jahre nach der Ermordung von Daphne Caruana Galizia immer noch nicht genug tun in Europa, um die Arbeit von Journalistinnen und Journalisten wirklich zu schützen. Oft sind eben Journalisten, die gegen Korruption ermitteln – gerade, wenn es um die politisch Mächtigen geht – die einzigen, die da Sachen an die Öffentlichkeit bringen können. Wenn Journalisten dafür sterben müssen, dann läuft wirklich was schief. Wir haben mit dem europäischen Medienfreiheitsgesetz jetzt eine erste Reaktion auf den Weg gebracht, und trotzdem macht mir das Sorgen, wenn eine Reihe Mitgliedstaaten sagen, wir machen eine allgemeine Ausnahme für nationale Sicherheit rein, sodass zum Beispiel die Abhörung von Journalisten ohne Kontrolle weitergehen kann. Ich glaube, wir müssen da endlich Ernst machen beim Schutz von Journalistinnen und Journalisten, sonst kommen wir beim Kampf gegen Korruption in Europa nicht voran.
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Isabel Wiseler-Lima
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: FR

Madame la Présidente, Madame la Commissaire, six ans ont passé depuis l’assassinat de Daphne Caruana Galizia. Il y a deux jours, nous marquions ce triste anniversaire, pour une journaliste maltaise, qui avait fait de la défense de la vérité son combat, au prix de sa vie. Dans une lettre que nous avons reçue de sa famille hier, nous apprenons que l’enquête publique qui a été menée parvient à la conclusion que l’État porte la responsabilité de sa mort, puisqu’il a créé une atmosphère d’impunité ayant conduit à la destruction de l’état de droit. L’état de droit doit garantir les droits fondamentaux, notamment la liberté de la presse. Il doit aussi, de manière conséquente, combattre la corruption, qui est sa pire ennemie. L’assassinat de journalistes comme Daphne Caruana Galizia et Ján Kuciak sont une honte pour nos démocraties, et le travail des journalistes d’investigation mérite notre plus grand respect. Car ils subissent toutes sortes de menaces, mais ils continuent tout de même. La prise de conscience de l’importance de ces journalistes pour les démocraties est primordiale. Ils apportent l’information pour que les citoyens puissent savoir et juger. Ils sont au cœur d’une démocratie digne de ce nom. Nous devons les protéger. C’est là l’intention de la résolution présentée au Parlement, et je me permettrai d’évoquer la directive sur les procédures judiciaires manifestement infondées ou abusives altérant le débat public – les
Debate: Rule of Law in Malta: years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the need to protect journalists
Date: WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Tiemo Wölken
Political group: S-D
Country: Italy
Language: DE

Frau Präsidentin! Sehr geehrte Frau Kommissarin, schön, dass Sie hier sind, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Sechs Jahre ist es jetzt her, dass die Journalistin Daphne Caruana Galizia ermordet wurde. Viele von Ihnen wissen vielleicht nicht, dass gegen sie auch über 40 Klagen liefen – 40 Klagen, die sie zum Schweigen bringen sollten. Das geht leider noch viel zu vielen Journalistinnen und Journalisten in der Europäischen Union so, dass sie Opfer von Klagen werden, die sie mundtot machen sollen, die sie fesseln sollen, die ihre finanziellen Ressourcen aufbrauchen, die dafür sorgen sollen, dass sie ihrer Arbeit nicht mehr nachgehen. Das ist ein Umstand, den wir als Europäische Union nicht länger hinnehmen dürfen. Denn freier Journalismus ist ein Grundpfeiler unserer Demokratie. Freie Journalistinnen und Journalisten korrigieren und kontrollieren die Mächtigen, und das ist so verdammt wichtig. Deswegen freue ich mich, dass wir derzeit an der Anti-SLAPP-Richtlinie arbeiten, auch „Daphne's Law“ genannt. Ich würde mir vom Rat wünschen, dass wir beim nächsten Trilog zu Ergebnissen kommen und insbesondere eine Definition zu grenzüberschreitenden Fällen beschließen, die ambitioniert ist, die Verfahren beschleunigen und zu einem Schadensersatzanspruch für die betroffenen Journalistinnen und Journalisten kommen. Das sind wir allen Opfern für freie Medien in der Europäischen Union schuldig.