[WATCH] Prime Minister unsatisfied but not surprised by MEPs’ rule of law decision

Malta will continue to engage with all European institutions, Prime Minister says as he blames ‘damage’ on opponents

Joseph Muscat is unfazed by MEPs raising concern over rule of law situation in Malta in wake of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder
Joseph Muscat is unfazed by MEPs raising concern over rule of law situation in Malta in wake of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder
Joseph Muscat is not surprised by MEPs' rule of law vote on Malta

An overwhelming vote by MEPs targeting Malta for rule of law failings came as no surprise to Joseph Muscat, who blamed it on Maltese who wanted to “damage the country”.

“I am not satisfied [by the outcome] but when one considers the damage caused, not to the government but to Malta, by some people here in Malta, it is not a surprise,” the Prime Minister said, in an obvious reference to the Nationalist Party MEPs, who have repeatedly raised the government’s failings at European level.

He was speaking on Wednesday, 24 hours after MEPs in the civil liberties committee approved a draft resolution calling for an independent inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder and an immediate stop to the sale of citizenship scheme. MEPs also expressed concern on the rule of law in Malta and Slovakia.

The resolution will now go for a vote in the plenary in Starsbourg at the end of March.

Muscat said Malta would continue to engage with all European institutions on the matter.

“We will not sulk, we will continue to try and convince and show them that substantial parts of the resolution are factually wrong,” Muscat said.

Asked about claims made in a British parliament committee report that he had met Cambridge Analytica's parent company in 2011, Muscat reiterated this was a lie.

The government has sent a note verbale on the matter, the Prime Minister said on Wednesday. "How can I refute a lie... I've already been through this with the Egrant lie," Muscat insisted.

READ ALSO: Joseph Muscat hits out at UK parliamentary committee over Cambridge Analytica findings