Prime Minister Robert Abela on Friday accused Opposition Leader Alex Borg of attempting to politicise the acquittal of Yorgen Fenech in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, insisting that politicians should refrain from commenting on jury verdicts and instead allow the country's institutions to carry out their work independently.
Speaking in Parliament during a debate held in the wake of the verdict, which was requested by the Opposition, Abela drew a distinction between his own approach and that of the Opposition, saying he would not express an opinion on whether the jury had reached the correct decision.
"Contrary to the Leader of the Opposition, I will not comment on whether I believe the verdict of the jurors is right," Abela said. "It would not be prudent for me to make such comments."
He argued that politicians have a responsibility to exercise restraint, particularly in cases of significant public importance, and warned against exploiting sensitive criminal proceedings for political gain.
"It is dangerous when a politician, in an irresponsible way, tries to capitalise politically on such cases," he said.
Abela's remarks came after Borg on Wednesday addressed protesters outside Castille immediately following the verdict, despite the event being billed as a silent protest. During his address, Borg alleged that the plot to murder Caruana Galizia had been hatched in Castille.
The Prime Minister criticised the Opposition's reaction to the verdict, describing it as rushed and politically motivated.
He argued that Borg's remarks outside Castille echoed the defence's submissions during the trial, describing them as "a cut and paste" of the arguments made by Fenech's legal team. He also claimed Borg's position contradicted statements made by members of the Caruana Galizia family and activists from Occupy Justice.
Abela challenged the Opposition leader to substantiate his allegations through the appropriate legal channels.
"You made a serious allegation outside Castille, even though you said it would be a silent protest," Abela said. "So what are you going to do now? Did you go to the Police Commissioner? Or to the inquiring magistrate?"
The Prime Minister pointed out that the Police Commissioner had already been instructed to examine evidence that emerged during the jury proceedings and determine whether there were grounds to pursue criminal action against any additional individuals. He said this demonstrated why politicians should avoid making sweeping public allegations while investigations were still ongoing.
"What does this order mean? It means that we should speak with prudence, and in this sensitive time we should not make such declarations that try to buy us votes," he said.
Abela reiterated that he had full confidence in the Police Commissioner and the country's law enforcement authorities to investigate every lead that had emerged during the trial.
The Prime Minister stressed that Malta's institutions had demonstrated their willingness to investigate the case thoroughly, noting that five people had been investigated in connection with Caruana Galizia's murder.
He thanked members of the police force and the judiciary for their work over the years, saying they should be allowed to continue carrying out their duties without political interference.
Abela also accused the Opposition of approaching the parliamentary debate as a partisan exercise rather than a discussion centred on the national interest.
"The Opposition sees this debate as a partisan game to win votes," he said, recalling that he had appealed the previous day for a mature discussion on the issues arising from the verdict.
"Yesterday I appealed for this discussion to be a mature one. Now we will see how mature it will be."
The Prime Minister went on to defend his government's record on justice and governance reforms, arguing that his administration had strengthened the independence of Malta's institutions.
Among the changes introduced under his government, Abela highlighted reforms to the appointment process for the Chief Justice, alongside what he described as a broader package of institutional reforms.
Abela argued that his administration had introduced reforms that previous Nationalist governments had not contemplated, saying they had strengthened governance and reinforced institutional independence.
Concluding his intervention, the Prime Minister appealed for the country's institutions to be allowed to operate freely and independently, while reaffirming the government's commitment to providing them with the resources necessary to fulfil their responsibilities.