Culture Minister Apologises After Saying It’s Unclear Daphne Was Murdered For Her Work

Minister for Arts, Culture and National Heritage Malcolm Paul Agius Galea issued a statement on social media apologising for his comment, wherein in response to a question, he said it was not clear that Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered because she was a journalist.

‘As politicians, circumstances require us to choose our words with great care’, he said ‘It is not the role of any politician to speculate about investigations being conducted by the various institutions in our country.’

‘Our only responsibility is to ensure that all the necessary resources are provided so that investigations can be carried out without fear or favour. I apologise if I may have hurt anyone's feelings.’

Various groups reacted to the statement. The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) expressed deep concern, saying that at a moment when Malta requires clarity and responsible leadership, the statement is unacceptable.

‘This is not a matter of assumption. The independent public inquiry into Daphne’s assassination concluded that her murder was “intrinsically, if not exclusively” linked to her investigative work.’

Meanwhile, Repubblika said that ‘a minister of the Maltese Government is now questioning whether Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered because of her journalism.’

‘That is not confusion. That is omertà. The Public Inquiry established that her assassination was a direct consequence of her investigative work into corruption, abuse of power and the links between politics and business.’

#MaltaDaily