Abela government biggest obstacle to justice, PN says on Yorgen Fenech bail
Nationalist Party says it is unacceptable that relatives of victims of homicides and other serious crimes are subjected to ‘ordeal after ordeal’ in their quest to obtain the justice they are entitled to

Updated at 6:30pm with Labour Party and Roberta Metsola statement
Prime Minister Robert Abela’s government is the “biggest obstacle to justice” the Nationalist Party said in reaction to Yorgen Fenech being granted bail after five years in custody.
“The Nationalist Party (PN) once again observes that the Government has failed justice in our country in a significant way, particularly the family of the assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia,” it said.
Madam Justice Edwina Grima issued the bail decree during a court hearing on Friday. The court ordered Fenech to pay an €80,000 deposit and stipulated that his aunt, Moira Fenech, would act as guarantor. Her shares in the Tumas Group are being used as collateral to ensure compliance with the bail conditions.
The PN said the responsibility for what happened on Friday does not lie with the Court but with Prime Minister Robert Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, who have done “absolutely nothing” to prevent this situation. “It is evident, now more than ever, that the Labour Government is the biggest obstacle to justice in our country.”
The PN said it is unacceptable that the relatives of victims of homicides and other serious crimes are subjected to ordeal after ordeal in their quest to obtain the justice they are entitled to. “Consequently, the PN expresses its full solidarity with the Caruana Galizia family and the relatives of other victims who are enduring the same ordeal due to the Government’s foot-dragging.”
“The PN believes in the principle that "justice delayed is justice denied" and promises all the relatives of victims of homicides and serious crimes that, if entrusted with the responsibility, it will implement all the necessary reforms to ensure that justice in our country is delivered, and delivered promptly,” a statement concluded.
For the PN, the rule of law means interfering in judicial processes – Labour Party
Reacting to the statement, the Labour Party said the PN has once again confirmed that its understanding of the rule of law is that of interfering in judicial processes.
“The PN, now completely led by the extremist faction within it, is only able to come up with deeply politically partisan comments when faced by independent court decisions,” it said. “Whilst one understands the thoughts and feelings shared by the aggrieved family, politically partisan comments made by the PN deserve only to be discarded.”
It said the Labour Government carried out unprecedented reforms within the justice sector and shall continue to do so in the best interest of justice. These reforms strengthened the Court's independence.
“The Labour Government also strengthened the tools and resources to ensure that no one escaped justice. In the case that the PN wants to use for politically partisan ends, every person implicated in this murder is either undergoing a judicial process or has already been sentenced,” he said.
‘The rot is deep’ – Metsola
In a reaction posted to her Facebook page, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola slammed the justice system which according to her “cannot deliver justice.”
“A system that forces those accused of the most heinous crimes to be allowed out of jail on bail because their trial by jury took more than half a decade to get underway, is a system that is broken. […] It is a system that cannot deliver justice. It is a system that those responsible for fixing, have neglected and abandoned. It is a system designed to fail. It is a system that allows for the victimisation of the victims and their families, and allows for abuse by those determined to never pay for their alleged crimes,” she said.
The EP President stated those seeking justice for Caruana Galizia’s murder are not going away.
“Those with everything to lose have always underestimated our determination to ensure those responsible for Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination and those who tried to cover it up, face their crimes. Today, that determination will only grow stronger,” she said.