Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 2 deceMber 2019

Malta leader to resign amid protests over reporter's death

By STEPHEN CALLEJA that Daphne Caruana Gal-
Associated Press izia's murder took place be-
VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — cause of the sluggishness of
Maltese Prime Minister Jo- our institutions,'' Delia said
seph Muscat told the nation after Muscat's speech.
Sunday night that he would European Parliament law-
resign in January, following makers are due to visit Mal-
pressure from angry citizens ta in coming days, amid
for the truth about the 2017 concerns about the func-
car bombing that killed an tioning of rule of law on the
anti-corruption journalist. Mediterranean island na-
In a televised message, tion.
Muscat said he had in- Muscat struck a defensive
formed Malta's president note, saying, "Our institu-
that he will quit as leader of tions are strong, and they
the governing Labor Party function." Muscat, first
on Jan. 12 and that "in the elected as prime minister in
days after I will resign as 2013, is serving his second
prime minister." term.
Hours earlier, nearly 20,000 Fenech had requested im-
Maltese protested outside munity from prosecution
a courthouse in the capital, promising to reveal infor-
Valletta, demanding that mation about government
he step down in the largest officials. His bid for immuni-
such turnout of nearly daily In this Thursday, June 20, 2019 file photo, Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat arrives for an EU ty was rejected first by Mus-
protests in recent weeks. summit at the Europa building in Brussels. cat on his own and later by
"As prime minister, I prom- Associated Press Muscat's Cabinet.
ised two years ago that Participants in Sunday's
justice would be done in ing." Muscat was referring an attractive financial ha- is justifying this murder," the protest carried photos of
the case of the murder of to prominent Maltese busi- ven for many investors. prime minister said. the slain journalist as well as
Daphne Caruana Galizia," nessman Yorgen Fenech, Among her targets were Muscat used his speech to placards with the last words
Muscat said, beginning his who on Saturday night, those in Muscat's political praise his tenure's achieve- she wrote on her blog short-
speech, adding that "to- was arraigned on charges inner circle, including those ments, including strong ly before getting into her
day I am here to tell you of alleged complicity in the in his Cabinet. Caruana economic growth and civil car, which was blown up
that I kept my word." killing and of allegedly or- Galizia was the subject of rights, including legalized near her home. "The situa-
But the slain reporter's fam- ganizing and financing the lawsuits by some of her marriage and adoption for tion is desperate,'' she had
ily contended Muscat's de- bombing. Fenech entered subjects, including in gov- same-sex couples. written referring to what she
parture won't satisfy those pleas of innocence. ernment. While many cel- Referring to the reporter's unearthed with her digging
in the nation who are de- Muscat's former chief of ebrated her as an anti-cor- slaying, the prime minis- into suspected widespread
termined that corruption staff Keith Schembri was ruption champion, some ter said, "This case cannot corruption in Malta's po-
and cronyism between pol- allegedly linked to the kill- on the island whose deal- define everything that our litical and business circles.
iticians and business figures ing. Schembri was among ings she exposed scorned country is and what we On the placards, protesters
be rooted out. government members tar- her work. have accomplished to- added the word "still" be-
"People will be out in the geted by Caruana Galiz- "I reiterate my deepest re- gether." fore ''desperate."
streets again tomorrow," ia's investigative reporting. gret that a person, who, The political opposition Affixed to the courthouse
tweeted one of her sons, Schembri, who resigned with all her positive and seized on the resentment gates were copies of a
Matthew Caruana Galizia, last week, was arrested negative qualities and toward the government photo of Schembri posing
who is also a journalist. in the probe but later re- contribution toward the tangible in the protests. the alleged middleman
Muscat contended that leased. He denies wrong- democracy of our country, "Muscat does not under- was unclear where and
"justice is being done." doing. was killed in such a brutal stand the anger of the when the photo was taken.
He noted that in addition to The prime minister said the way,'' Muscat said. people," said Adrian Delia, The alleged go-between,
three people arrested soon investigation continues. "The sensations of genuine leader of the opposition Melvin Theuma recently
after the bombing for car- The slain reporter had writ- sadness and anger for this Nationalist Party. Nor does was granted immunity
rying out the actual attack, ten extensively about sus- murder are justified. And he understand "political from the prosecution in ex-
now there is "someone ac- pected corruption in politi- I will never accept that responsibility,'' Delia con- change for giving details
cused of being the princi- cal and business circles on someone conveys a signal tended. on who was behind the
pal person behind this kill- the European Union nation, that in any way he or she "He did not understand bombing.q