The Council of Europe has ruled out taking any additional measures with regards to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, money-laundering allegations and protection to whistleblowers in Malta.
The Committee of Ministers was asked by Dutch member Pieter Omtzigt whether the CoE would request formal explanations from the Maltese government on the police's failure to investigate evidence of money laundering by government officials and their relatives, on its failure to adequately protect Ms Caruana Galizia and on the protection it intends to afford to the relevant whistleblowers.
The committee said it was confident that the Maltese authorities "will continue to make appropriate use of all the means and mechanisms in place both in the Council of Europe and at domestic level and in full respect with the fundamental values and standards of the Council of Europe".
The @CoE's ministerial body has replied to @PieterOmtzigt's written
— PACE (@PACE_News) April 3, 2018
question on the action it will take following the assassination of
Daphne Caruana Galizia. Read the full response: https://t.co/tfiw0iSoLB. The question: https://t.co/s2R2k8c4Wf pic.twitter.com/DQxGCwjt9p
It said that since Ms Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated, the Maltese delegation had twice provided information on the steps taken by the authorities on this issue and on the results achieved at this stage.
"As far as the allegations which the Honourable Parliamentarian refers to are concerned, the delegation of Malta indicated that they were the object of an ongoing judicial inquiry. It also informed the Committee of Ministers of the Commissioner for Human Rights’ visit to Malta in November 2017 and of the report thereon, of the upcoming visit by GRECO, to be followed by a monitoring evaluation by MONEYVAL.
"The delegation of Malta explained that the necessary investigations are being conducted by independent judicial bodies and in full co-operation with all competent Council of Europe mechanisms in place. It expressed its commitment to keep the Committee of Ministers fully informed of any conclusions to be reached."
While the Prime Minister's head of communications Kurt Farrugia welcomed the decision, Ms Caruana Galizia's son Matthew was bitterly disappointed.
PACE "confident that the Maltese authorities will continue to make appropriate use of all the means and mechanisms in place both in the @CoE and at domestic level and in full respect with the fundamental values and standards of the Council of Europe." No further measures taken. https://t.co/5idyWauyf2
— Kurt Farrugia (@KurtFarrugia) April 3, 2018
The standard response from European governments: everything is fine, look the other way. This is why journalists are being blown up in broad daylight and why organised crime and political corruption is flourishing in Europe. A refusal to even acknowledge the problems. https://t.co/kLnpRqM3Im
— Matthew Caruana Galizia (@mcaruanagalizia) April 3, 2018