Neville Gafa, an official within the Parliamentary Secretariat for Social Dialogue which falls under the Office of the Prime Minister, is speaking and acting “in his personal capacity” when criticising murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and removing flowers from a makeshift memorial to her, Prime Minister Robert Abela told journalists on Wednesday.

He said that he could not and should not stop Gafa from expressing his opinion – but also said that he disagrees with the type of language that the government official uses to refer to Caruana Galizia.

Neville Gafa, who is appointed as a person of trust within the government, has gotten himself into the headlines as of late after he took it upon himself to clear flowers from the makeshift memorial to the assassinated journalist days after the eighth anniversary of her murder.

His actions, which were filmed in the early hours of the morning, drew condemnation from three foreign embassies and a host of activists.

Asked whether the removal of flowers from the memorial, which is at the foot of the Great Siege memorial opposite the law courts in Valletta, is the policy of the Office of the Prime Minister, Abela said that it is “absolutely not” his office’s policy and said that Gafa is doing this “on his personal initiative.”

Abela referred to a Constitutional Court decision which was handed down five years ago and said that this decision gives rights of expression to people, adding though that Gafa also has a right to his own free speech and expression.

The judgment in question was handed down by then Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon where he ruled that the clearing of flowers, candles and photographs which were being placed in memory of Daphne Caruana Galizia at the Great Siege monument – clearance which at the time was government-commissioned – contravened freedom of expression.

“You have the same right but different views on how to exercise it.  If there is a contrast, it is the court which has to decide not me,” Abela said on the memorial.

Abela was also asked whether he agreed with other comments that Gafa has made on his blog, including his saying that laws to replace certain terminology – such as the term “father” with “parents” – was “moral vandalism” and a “war on nature”, or his description of Ukraine as a “war-hungry Nazi regime.”

“I’m not in a position to stop people from expressing their opinions,” Abela said.

He said that on Ukraine he will continue to speak in favour of Ukraine so to safeguard the country’s constitution but also offer the maximum help possible.

“I cannot censor – and I shouldn’t censor – what an individual writes. Those are his personal opinions and they certainly do not reflect the Maltese government’s position,” he said.

“What Neville Gafa says is his personal opinion.  Anyone with a blog and on social media has the right to say what they want within the realms of what is acceptable.  Anyone who feels that what is said about them is in language which is not acceptable has methods they can follow,” he said.

He added, however: “I do not use that type of language.”

Asked later whether he agreed with Gafa describing Caruana Galizia as a “witch”, Abela said that he “certainly does not use this type of language.”

He said that there is a very respectful relationship between him and the Caruana Galizia family from both sides, but that he was also deeply saddened by how Malta was being wrongly portrayed within the European Parliament, as he referred to a debate which happened on Tuesday.

“I do not agree with that type of language – to Daphne Caruana Galizia, to her family, or to anyone,” Abela said.

He said that Gafa’s tone is not the style of politics that he advocates for.

Abela was also asked about his relationship with former OPM Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, who told a podcast that he would “help” Abela on occasions. 

He first took umbrage at the line of questioning, saying that the media has a responsibility to ask about matters which focus on the improvement of the country not questions “which mean nothing to the quality of life of people.”  He said that this “narrative” had resulted in PN MEPs pushing a motion against Malta to say that there is no rule of law.

On Schembri, he said that “nothing has changed” in terms of his role in the last few years in the party – ergo, that he has no role.  Abela said that “he is a person who communicates with me like hundreds of people do.”

He said that Schembri is only accused right now, and has not been officially found guilty.  Should he be found such and that communication channel needs to close, he said, then it will close.

“We speak every now and again, but that’s it,” Abela said.