The ultimate aim of investigations should not be to quench people's thirst for information, but rather, to find out who is guilty, according to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.

Muscat was replying to a question on a live radio interview on ONE radio, where he was asked whether there is any new information regarding the investigations on the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Muscat replied that even if he did have information regarding what leads the police are following, "it would be a disservice to the investigations," for him to give it out.

"I understand that people have a thirst to know what is happening," he said, "but there is a fine balance when one is providing information, to make sure that the information does not confuse the ultimate aim."

"The ultimate aim is not to quench the thirst for information, but to find who is guilty," he stated, continuing, "and in order to find out who is guilty, the information might take a bit longer to come out, but I believe the priority of the country should be to find out who is guilty, and then give all the information."

 

Some leads mentioned in media being followed by police

Some of the leads mentioned in the media are being followed by the police, amongst others which are not, Muscat said.

"Police are looking at various options, some of which are mentioned in the news and others which were not mentioned in newspapers," he said.

He added that he believes the foreign experts are still here, and the government will bring others who have certain apparatus if needs be.

 

PM will not attend demonstration today

Prime Minister Muscat will not be attending today's justice demonstration in Valletta, saying that from comments by the organizers, he understands that he will not be welcome.

"I know where I am welcome and where I am not," he said.

Muscat said that he encouraged the Labour Party to attend. "I asked the party to attend to send the message of national unity, because Joseph Muscat is not the labour party, the party is a movement much bigger than that." 

 

Muscat 'shouldering responsibility' for 'treating this situation differently to others'

"I understand why people ask me why different cases were dealt with in a different way, with not the same commitment from the government," Muscat said.

"Besides a person being murdered, it is also a journalist who has been murdered, and damage has been caused to the reputation of the country, and we need to make sure that our reaction is not only one of dignity but also shows from here that this country is not going to accept something like this, they need to understand that we are using extraordinary measures."

The prime minister went on to say, "the fact that we are offering one million euro is without precedent. I think the situation of today merits that we give off a very strong sign following what happened this week."

"There may be people who are hurt by this because they may ask why did you not treat a case related to people close to me in a different way?" he said, "As a prime minister I shoulder this responsibility. We need to show that what happened this week will be seen to in an unequivocal way by the Maltese government, who is representing the population."

"I think we have already shown this type of reaction, even on international media," he said. 

 

Adrian Delia is a "small person"

Muscat went on to say that Leader of the Opposition Adrian Delia is a "small person," in reference to his speech in Parliament last Tuesday.

"What Adrian Delia said in parliament shows what a small person he is," said Muscat, adding "it could have been an opportunity for him to rise to the occasion."

"I know that Delia's stance was not widely welcome throughout his party," he added.

Later in the interview, Muscat mentioned again that Delia should sumbit himself for a magesterial investigation.

"Caruana Galizia had a lot of severe allegations about Delia," he said. "The leader of the opposition should do what I did and go before the magistrate to investigate what happened," he said, adding that "the fact that he says no to it makes me think he is scared to do something like that."