Brussels 22.05.2022 On 23-25 May, six MEPs of the Civil Liberties Committee will assess progress in the investigations, trials, and reforms that followed the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Two and a half years after the last visit of an EP delegation to the country in the context of ongoing efforts to strengthen EU values, MEPs will return to Malta on 23-25 May.

The aim of the visit -organised upon the recommendation of the Monitoring Group on Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights (DRFMG) is to take stock of the latest developments as regards the rule of law, recent judicial reforms, safety of journalists, anti-corruption measures, and citizenship and residence by investment schemes. Communication between Maltese authorities and the DRFMG, as well as the group’s work in this area, continued throughout the pandemic.

The delegation comprises the following MEPs:

Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK)
Franco ROBERTI (S&D, IT)
Sophie IN ‘T VELD (Renew, NL), Delegation Chair
Gwendoline DELBOS-CORFIELD (Greens/EFA, FR)
Nicolaus FEST (ID, DE)
Konstantinos ARVANITIS (The Left, EL).

They will meet with:
the President of the Republic of Malta Dr George Vella
the Prime Minister Dr Robert Abela and Cabinet Members
Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti (tbc)
Attorney General Dr Victoria Buttigieg
the Speaker of the Parliament of Malta Hon Anġlu Farrugia
Members of the Parliament of Malta.
They will also hold discussions with commissioners and senior civil servants, representatives of Europol (the EU’s police agency) and regulatory bodies, as well as NGOs, civil society, journalists and representatives of the Daphne Project, and the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia.