Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation says it contributed to Steward arbitration ruling

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation has revealed that it formally intervened in the international arbitration case brought by Steward Healthcare against Malta by submitting an amicus curiae brief earlier this year that it says helped secure a positive outcome for the public.

In a statement issued on Monday, the foundation said it filed the submission with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal in March 2025, providing evidence and context linked to the fraudulent hospitals concession. The scandal was first uncovered by Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The foundation welcomed the tribunal’s decision confirming that the concession should have been terminated, aligning with the findings of the Maltese courts, which annulled all agreements tied to the Vitals and Steward takeover of the three public hospitals.

The organisation said its brief was based on information uncovered through its ongoing investigations into the deal, which Caruana Galizia had been reporting on up until her assassination in 2017.

“Our submission provided the Tribunal with information we obtained through our continuation of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s original investigations,” the foundation said, stressing that its intervention aimed to ensure that the Maltese public interest and public funds were properly considered in the proceedings.

The foundation said assisting the tribunal was in line with its broader mission: promoting justice in cases involving high-level corruption and safeguarding accountability for the misuse of public assets.

It added that the ICC decision reinforces the importance of investigating the concession and those responsible for the fraudulent agreement, which involved hundreds of millions in taxpayer money and failed to deliver promised hospital upgrades.