After Thursday’s court session, it is clear that Joseph Muscat’s government was involved in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and that Muscat did everything to ensure justice did not take place, Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia said.

“It is clear that Muscat’s government was involved in the assassination. Not only that was the Prime Minister’s office involved, but that Joseph Muscat did everything to ensure that justice did not take place.”

Earlier on Thursday during court, it emerged that Yorgen Fenech – the alleged mastermind behind Caruana Galizia’s murder – told police that former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s chief of staff Keith Schembri had paid up to €80,000 to Melvin Theuma to fund the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

“This court session proves to us once more that Muscat was close to Fenech, speaking to him twice, once in Castille and another time at a party in Girgenti, the same party where Muscat received a present from Fenech.”

In a statement after the court session but before Delia’s statement was aired on Net TV, Muscat denied Fenech’s claims, calling them contradictory and saying that he had done his duty as Prime Minister in relation to the case.

Delia said that Muscat was close to the people who are being investigated and tied to the murder of a journalist, which is seriously harmful for Malta’s democracy. “The lack of work in our institutions for the truth to come out and instead protect all those involved in the murder is a criminal act in itself.”

He said that the internationally Malta is developing a bad name, and that the Moneyval assessment, which could have increasing negative effects on Malta, is just around the corner.

Delia also questioned what Prime Minister Robert Abela will do now that Muscat has been named in the proceedings. “Abela has decided to remain silent and say nothing and do nothing. What will he do with all the information that has come out of court today? Will he take action? Or continue to go on as normal? For Abela, normality means we continue doing what former Prime Minister Muscat did.”

He said that the diabolic pact between Muscat and Abela has stopped justice from happening.

He mentioned that the new Police Commissioner has promised transparency and contact with the people and to keep the people involved in what is happening. “We are here to support the police to stay strong and not let anyone walk over them or control what they have to do. It is fundamental that at this time, justice takes place and we hear the truth.”

He said that the people want normality back, tranquillity back and that those who have done wrong then that person must pay the consequences. “As a society we need to have justice and we call for the strength for us to gain the justice that everyone wants. We will continue working hard to ensure that justice is served.”

Delia meanwhile did not mention anything on the fact that during the same testimony in court, a police inspector confirmed the existence of messages between Delia and Yorgen Fenech from 2019.