Nearly nine years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Malta’s leading investigative journalist, the country and Europe continue to grapple with a culture of impunity surrounding her murder. While individuals who physically carried out the car bomb attack that killed her have been convicted or admitted involvement, no one has been legally held responsible for commissioning the killing.
Recently, a Maltese jury acquitted prominent businessman Yorgen Fenech of complicity and criminal association related to the assassination. Fenech admitted knowledge of the murder plot in advance and financial transactions with the middleman who arranged the killers but denied ordering or financing the crime. The verdict, with an 8-1 vote declaring insufficient evidence beyond reasonable doubt, has been met with shock but acknowledged as final.
Revelations from the Trial Expose a Powerful Network
During the trial, Fenech admitted to transferring €50,000 to Melvin Theuma, the intermediary who recruited the assassins, claiming the money was to dissuade Theuma from proceeding. Fenech also confessed to providing confidential police investigation details to Theuma and suspected he was being blackmailed. His explanation for involvement was misplaced loyalty to Keith Schembri, a key ally close to Malta’s prime minister at the time.
This unfolding reveals unsettling ties linking Malta’s economic elite, government insiders, and those orchestrating criminal acts within a close-knit circle—precisely the nexus Daphne Caruana Galizia had dedicated years to investigating. The official public inquiry into her assassination concluded in 2021 that the Maltese state fostered a culture that made such a crime possible. However, most of its recommendations remain unimplemented, and accountability for the corruption she exposed is still lacking.
European Institutions Renew Focus on Malta’s Rule of Law
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly recently revisited the case, hearing testimony from Galizia’s family and assigning rapporteur Shami Chakrabarti to produce a report on Malta’s progress in implementing inquiry recommendations and upholding rule of law standards. Earlier assessments have acknowledged reforms since 2019 but emphasize persistent deficiencies demanding comprehensive institutional overhaul.
Critics warn that Malta’s failures have broader European implications. Given that conducting business in Malta effectively opens access to the EU market with limited oversight, weak governance and impunity within Malta risk undermining integrity across Europe. The Council of Europe’s monitoring committee has already flagged concerns about ongoing corruption and insufficient checks and balances in Malta.
Calls for Accountability and Reform Grow Stronger
While the jury’s acquittal of Fenech must be respected, it does not resolve the larger issue that those who ordered Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder remain unidentified and unpunished. Her family’s nearly decade-long fight for truth underscores a failure of the state’s responsibility to secure justice without protracted pressure.
Experts argue that Europe, including institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg, owes it to Daphne and her family to intensify scrutiny and demand full accountability. Without addressing Malta’s entrenched culture of impunity and reforming democratic institutions to prevent corruption, the risk persists that abuses of political and economic power will continue unchecked within EU borders.
