[WATCH] Vitals, elections and scandals: Journalists reflect on 2024 on Xtra

As the year draws to an end, TVM’s Xtra invited four journalists and opinionists to reflect on the most significant events of 2024, offering their insights through the view from their pen.

MaltaToday’s online editor, Karl Azzopardi, pointed to the European Parliament and local council elections as significant political milestones. “Obviously, they were important because the PL saw a narrowing of its lead, the PN achieved a record performance, while third parties and independents made notable gains,” he said.

However, Azzopardi said that the Vitals inquiry was the most impactful story of the year.

“We had been anticipating it for a long time, hearing the Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, and political parties talk about it. When the details started emerging, especially as MaltaToday published the full inquiry and analysed its most crucial aspects, we began to understand the political fallout and the stories coming out of the courts,” he explained.

Azzopardi believes this story’s significance will continue to unfold, impacting both the PL and PN politically.

“When we look back at 2024, I think we’ll agree that this was the biggest story,” he concluded.

Former PN minister and opinionist Michael Falzon echoed Azzopardi’s views, agreeing that these were the most intriguing and followed stories of the year. He expressed particular concern about the lack of action following the release of the Vitals inquiry.

“When the inquiry was published, the police and the Attorney General didn’t conduct any investigations or take action. They simply adopted the magistrate’s report as their own and began summoning individuals named in the inquiry,” he remarked.

Falzon criticised this inaction, calling it a dereliction of duty.

Ruslana Barbara, a journalist at ONE News, highlighted the agreement between Malta’s two major political parties on the appointment of President Myriam Spiteri Debono following constitutional reforms.

“I think it was something that demonstrated national unity and showed that political parties can collaborate as well,” she said.

She also pointed to other noteworthy events, including the appointment of a new European Commissioner and Malta’s hosting of the OSCE Ministerial Conference.

“Our country received a lot of positive comments, and we saw U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visit Malta and praise the governance reforms that took place,” Barbara said.

NET News journalist Francesco Catania described 2024 as a year marked by scandals and episodes that unfolded month after month, often overshadowing one another.

“We started the year with a reshuffle, and we’re ending it with the removal of another Minister,” he said.

While crediting PN leader Bernard Grech’s efforts, which he said “are bearing fruit”, Catania admitted that the PN’s successes, such as the results in June’s elections, also stemmed from the government’s shortcomings.

“The PN’s hard work showed results, energising not only its base but also those watching from the sidelines,” he explained.

However, he emphasised that the PL’s weaknesses and failures had a significant impact. “The PN’s work is evident, but we can’t ignore how the government’s mistakes exposed its vulnerabilities,” Catania said.