The EPP Group in the European Parliament is calling for a debate on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

"The debate should consider the progress that the Maltese institutions have made in the past five years in seeking justice for Daphne, in bringing to justice those implicated in the crimes she investigated and reported, and in strengthening democracy and the rule of law where severe weaknesses were identified," a statement read.

PN MEP David Casa said that 16 October marks five years since Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally killed. "A web of corruption implicating the highest levels of government was since exposed, leading the independent public inquiry to conclude that the state bears responsibility for her murder," he said.

The EPP statement read that "Malta has seen its institutions fail in confronting corruption at the highest levels. Failing to protect the fundamental values of the European Union is not just alarming for Maltese citizens, but for all EU citizens whose freedoms depend on those values."

"The situation in Malta is still dire," Casa said. "The impunity that abetted Daphne's assassination still reigns supreme. Not only is there no progress on fighting corruption, but there are scandals being reported practically every week. Instead of political responsibility, we get cover ups. Seeking justice for Daphne concerns all Europeans."

A debate on the five-year anniversary is a timely chance for MEPs across the political spectrum to assess the progress made, the EPP said, adding that "there is every reason to scrutinise Malta's institutions."

"There is nobody who disputes that the rule of law in Malta is under threat," Casa recalled. "It is important for the European Union to keep a close watch on the status of Malta as a democracy with strong, independent institutions. This is about transparency and accountability in the way Malta is being run. If Daphne's family and the country can ever have closure on this dark chapter, all those involved need to be held accountable. And the institutions need to be strengthened in such a way that no journalist can ever be killed again simply for doing their job."