Daphne Foundation questions Bedingfield Cabinet role in light of Caruana Galizia inquiry findings

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation has raised concerns over Glenn Bedingfield being appointed home affairs minister after public inquiry into journalist's murder had identified him as a key figure in a campaign to undermine her work.

The foundation said on Thursday that the Caruana Galizia public inquiry had identified Bedingfield as having played a central role in an orchestrated effort to dehumanise Daphne Caruana Galizia and delegitimise her journalism while serving within the Office of the Prime Minister.

The foundation highlighted a section of the inquiry report which stated that "there were elements both within the State entities and in particular within the Office of the Prime Minister that actively acted to thwart the journalist in her work and contributed to a sustained campaign in an organised manner".

The inquiry board said the campaign found "its strongest outlet in social media" and that "its worst expression was the blog which was set up and led by the Honourable Glenn Bedingfield who occupied a position within the Office of the Prime Minister".

The foundation also criticised the government's record on implementing the inquiry's recommendations, arguing that since the report was published in 2021, successive administrations led by Abela have failed to carry out the reforms proposed by the board. It said the government had "failed to implement the recommendations of the public inquiry and stonewalled all international and local attempts to support and collaborate on the implementation" of those measures.

The public inquiry into Caruana Galizia's assassination concluded that the Maltese state had created a climate of impunity that facilitated the circumstances leading to her murder in October 2017.

The foundation said Bedingfield's appointment to the home affairs portfolio raises serious concerns about the government's commitment to the inquiry's findings and recommendations.