Joseph Muscat has full confidence in impartiality of Caruana Galizia public inquiry

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said that he has full confidence in the impartiality of the board members appointed to preside over the public inquiry over the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Muscat was speaking in a very brief telephone interview aired on One Radio, responding to the family of Caruana Galizia who said they found issue with two of the three board members.

"Nobody is disputing the ethical compasses and moral fibre of the appointed individuals," Muscat said, while adding that he found no issue with meeting the family members of Caruana Galizia to discuss the way forward. The family has asked for an urgent meeting.

The public inquiry was announced last Friday–it will be presided by Judge Michael Mallia and assisted by former Dean of the Faculty of Law Ian Refalo and forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici. According to the terms of reference they have to conclude the investigation in nine months’ time.

The inquiry was launched after the Council of Europe gave Malta a timeline of three months to initiate it. The inquiry was launched six days before the deadline.

“I will listen to what the family of the late Caruana Galizia have to say. I have no problem to meet them and look forward to it,” Muscat said, in response to the family finding issue with the appointment of Ian Refalo who represented clients investigated by the late journalist for corruption in the past.

Muscat said that the public inquiry would mainly focus on whether the assassination of Caruana Galizia could have been prevented in any way and reiterated that the important thing was that it did not interfere with any ongoing investigations.