Testimony given during the trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech on the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia raises “extremely serious questions” about what was happening at Castille under the premiership of Joseph Muscat, Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg said on Saturday.

Speaking in an interview on party media, Borg said that the PN is “closely following everything that is emerging, with a team of legal experts monitoring the proceedings.”

He added that “the testimony being given is raising extremely serious questions about what was taking place at Castille under former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the links between people in positions of power and suspicious individuals, and the grave allegations being made concerning altered accounts, lies and perjury.”

He said that the PN wants to ensure “that anyone found guilty of involvement in this assassination, anyone who used their position to exert influence, or anyone who failed to fulfil the duties of their office to prevent this crime from taking place, is held accountable for their actions.”

 “Our position is clear: we want justice to be served against everyone involved in this heinous crime and justice for the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia,” Borg said.

Also during the interview, Borg referred to the meeting held by the Opposition earlier in the week week with the social partners represented on the MCESD, saying that this meeting confirmed the urgent need for Malta to have a clear investment plan and solutions to the power cuts crisis, supported by infrastructure capable of meeting the needs of families, businesses and the Maltese economy.

Borg said the meeting produced a clear consensus that Malta needs to assess what has been done so far, identify what remains to be done and, above all, draw up a serious long-term plan to ensure that the electricity distribution system can meet the country’s demand. 

He recalled that the Government has still failed to provide a clear account of where and how the €140 million it claims to have invested in the distribution network was spent. It also refused to urgently discuss the Auditor General’s report in the Public Accounts Committee or allow a parliamentary debate on the crisis before Parliament adjourned for the summer, when it avoided debating the Motion of No Confidence in Minister Miriam Dalli. 

By contrast, Borg said that the PN has put forward a number of solutions, including an automatic compensation mechanism for families and businesses affected by prolonged or repeated power cuts, fair compensation for Enemalta workers and a clear investment plan for the distribution network. He also said that Malta must reduce its dependence on external energy sources and invest significantly more in renewable energy.

 “Social dialogue cannot be used only when the Government finds itself backed into a corner. It should form part of how the country is governed every day, because the social partners experience first-hand the realities facing people, workers and businesses,” the PN leader said.

 Alex Borg also spoke about the series of visits he has been making to businesses and workers, saying that the PN will continue to maintain direct contact with the people throughout the summer months.  

He referred to his visit to a furniture company, where he discussed the challenges faced by local businesses that have invested and created jobs over the years but are now confronting problems such as labour shortages and unfair competition. 

“It cannot be the case that Maltese companies invest, create jobs and build relationships with international firms, only to find themselves competing in a market where not everyone is playing by the same rules,” Borg said. 

He also spoke about his visits in Gozo, where he met businesses and workers from a range of sectors, including elderly care, manufacturing, agriculture, the creative sector and exports. He said these visits demonstrate Gozo’s real potential as an island where people should be able to build a business, work, develop a career, raise a family and grow old with dignity. “Gozitans are not asking for privileges. They simply want the conditions that will allow their talent and investment to thrive.” 

Alex Borg also expressed concern about repeated pollution incidents at several Maltese beaches during the summer, saying that this is another symptom of the country’s infrastructure failing to keep pace with population growth and economic activity. He said that the situation at St George’s Bay and Balluta is a clear example of this.

Under a Nationalist Government, St George’s Bay was awarded the international Blue Flag status following investment in water quality, cleanliness, safety and sustainability. “Today, instead of discussing more high-quality beaches, we find ourselves discussing warnings against swimming. This is a step backwards for both Maltese families and the tourism industry.” Alex Borg said Malta needs a national pollution prevention and monitoring plan, effective enforcement and investment in sewage and coastal infrastructure.