Giglio: Angelo Gafà must shoulder responsibility for police force’s administrative shortcomings

PN Home Affairs spokesperson Joe Giglio says Opposition insists on the full publication of the inquiry into Iosif Galea arrest warrant saga

The Nationalist Party spokesperson for Home Affairs has said Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà must shoulder responsibility for administrative shortcomings within the Corps.

“I cannot not mention the disastrous state of the police corps in our country,” Joe Giglio told the House.

He said the fact that “no less than 40 police stations” help people through an intercom system shows the dire state of the force.

He also mentioned the Iosif Galea case, insisting the Opposition wants the full inquiry into the case be published.

Galea was arrested in Italy after landing in the country for a three-day holiday to join his partner and her employer, Michelle Muscat, together with husband Joseph Muscat – the former prime minister, earlier this year.

Galea had been granted police bail in Malta to take leave for his short holiday. He was being investigated in connection with trading in influence charges against a top Malta Gaming Authority official.

But police failed to carry out relevant checks on Galea before granting him discretionary leave: it turns out that he had been the subject of a German-issued European Arrest Warrant.

In an internal police complaint filed by the Commissioner of Police Angelo Gafà, who had investigated Galea in connection with the Dalligate scandal of 2012, it was revealed that three German requests to the Maltese police had been ignored.

The first request was sent in late 2021. By the time Galea was placed on police bail over the MGA investigation, and then granted leave to travel in June, it turned out that three reminders from the Germans had been ignored by the Maltese police liaison officer for EAWs.

Giglio said the case showed that authorities in the country do not know is entering and leaving the country. “The system clearly doesn’t work.”

He also slammed pro-longed waiting times in court, saying inquiries which were opened following efforts by civil society and the PN a number of years ago, are still ongoing.

“This is not acceptable, and action needs to be taken,” he said.

Foreign workers

The PN home affairs spokesperson also criticised government’s lack of “long term vision” when it comes to foreign workers in the country.

“There was no plan, no vision and this has brought with it congestion, infrastructural issues, environmental and safety issues,” he said.

Giglio said even they are suffering the consequences, insisting lack of regulation leaves them open to exploitation by employers.