European Parliament to send urgent mission to Malta

The request for an urgent mission to Malta is also backed by the Socialists, Nationalist MEP David Casa says

Protestors outside parliament call for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's resignation
Protestors outside parliament call for Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's resignation

The European Parliament confirmed the decision to send an urgent mission to Malta next week and to hold a debate on the political situation in Malta this December.

"This request is also being backed by the Socialists, Muscat's own political party in Europe," Nationalist MEP David Casa wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

The call for an urgent mission to Malta was made by German Green MEP Sven Giegold who celebrated the European Parliament's endorsement of his proposal in a tweet this morning.

"Big victory! The European Parliament follows my call and just decided to send an urgent mission to Malta possibly already next week. We want to ensure justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia and should support those fighting for the rule of law in Malta!" he wrote.

Casa took to Facebook, saying that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's position was no longer tenable. "This is clear for all to see."

In the wake of the continued investigations into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Muscat's chief of staff Keith Schembri resigned from his post, followed being take to police headquarters for questioning into his possible implication.

Muscat and his government were harried in the past week by vociferous protests taking place outside parliament and Castille square calling for the Prime Minister's resignation.

Other protests are planned by Moviment Graffitti on Saturday and Repubblika on Sunday.

AD welcomes the Greens initiative 

AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said the party welcomed the Greens in the European Parliament initiative to send an urgent mission to look at the rule of law in Malta after the recent revelations around the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

AD said it also welcomed the debate about the recent revelations in Malta in the December Plenary.

"As a European Union country, Malta has been in the spotlight. Our systems are weak and Prime Ministers in Malta are all-powerful. The current situation shows us that this is dangerous, subject to abuse, and must change,” Cacopardo said. 

He said that the European Parliament mission must investigate “all potential links of the criminal underworld to the Prime Minister who has protected and defended Ministers Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona for so long, and whose former Chief of Staff with access to sensitive information is heavily implicated in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Malta must adhere to the rule of law and European values." 

READ ALSO: Fenech says Schembri is mastermind, but police treading with caution on claims

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