'You have our support,' Repubblika tells Myriam Spiteri Debono

NGO Repubblika has congratulated Myriam Spiteri Debono ahead of her appointment as Malta’s next President. 

MPs from both sides of the House signalled their intention to support Myriam Spiteri Debono’s nomination for president, as parliament’s vote is to be held later on Wednesday. 

In a statement, Repubblika commended parliament’s consensus on such a decision, noting that despite a lack of maturity in national politics, this agreement offers hope that Malta can move away from such politics. 

“Myriam Spiteri Debono served in public office with loyalty and decency,” the NGO said, noting that they look forward to seeing Spiteri Debono reflecting these values throughout her career. 

Repubblika reminded that in 2021, Spiteri Debono had noted that Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder was an attempt to silence her. “On that day, Spiteri Debono said that it serves all if everyone respects investigative journalists and those who deliver news, and that journalism is the fourth pillar of democracy.”

The NGO said that this statement was a rare, if not sole recognition within the context of an official state ceremony. Repubblika also noted Spiteri Debono’s appeal for unity in politics and a shift away from the pursuit of partisan victories. 

Repubblika hopes that the upcoming Presidency inspires institutions and the community as a whole to fix what’s broken, notably by implementing the recommendations of the Daphne Caruana Galizia inquiry, “which have been collecting dust since 2021.” The NGO also hopes that the Presidency inspires the needed constitutional reforms which have been promised since 2012. 

“We assure Myriam Spiter Deboni that she has our support in her new mission,” Repubblika concluded.