Prime Minister Ribert Abela has abdicated the responsibility of implementing the recommendations made by the board of inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, NGO Repubblika said.
In a press conference outside Abela’s office in Valletta, NGO chief Robert Aquilina said that one month has passed since the publication of the report. Abela had apologised to the Caruana Galizia family and promised to take action, but nothing has been done since, Aquilina said.
“He has abdicated the responsibility” thrust upon him by the inquiry, Aquilina said. Abela has chosen to continue with the culture of impunity that characterised the administration of his predecessor Joseph Muscat, with all the risks that this brings with it.
For one thing, no action has been taken against Muscat, who has appeared in the media more than Abela in the last month, Aquilina charged.
It is clear that Abela does not have the ability, strength and courage to kick Muscat out of the Labour Party, and Muscat was the first to recognise this weakness in Abela, Aquilina said. Muscat had reminded one and all how his wife Michelle had worked to get Abela elected as Labour leader. Muscat has also reminded Abela that he remains more popular and loved among PL supporters, Aquilina added.
Muscat is also threatening a comeback if he is annoyed. Last year Abela said he was not afraid of waves, but he did not say if he feared a tsunami being prepared by Muscat, Aquilina said.
Abela has already wasted too much time. “He should get down from his yacht and start implementing what he promised a year ago,” Aquilina said.
It is unacceptable that Abela has done nothing about the public inquiry, and nothing about Edward Zammit Lewis, who has been caught having strong connections with the man now accused of being a mastermind in the murder of Caruana Galizia.
Abela has also done nothing to Cabinet ministers who served under Muscat and who, according to the inquiry, were also collectively responsible for the culture of impunity that was allowed to fester in the Muscat administration. They have still not been removed by Abela, Aquilina said, and are still being allowed to knock on doors in search of votes in the coming election.
Abela is not interested in the wellbeing of the country, and his behaviour and that of his ministers shows that things have not changed for the better. The message that was delivered this month is that in spite of what the board of inquiry recommended, this culture of impunity will continue, Aquilina said.
“We fear that the seed of horror that we lived through (with the Caruana Galizia assassination) will happen again,” he said. The PL propaganda machine (One) continues to demonise who is fighting for justice, including Repubblika, lawyers, journalists and others.
He said that “we are taking note of all that is happening and are keeping Abela personally responsible for it”.
Repubblika pledged to leave no-one alone as Daphne Caruana Galizia had been. “We will not allow what took place under Muscat to happen again,” Aquilina said.