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DAPHNE CARUANA GALIZIA, a prominent Maltese journalist and blogger who made repeated and detailed corruption allegations against Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s inner circle, has been killed by a car bomb.
Muscat condemned yesterday’s killing as a “barbaric” act and ordered security services to devote maximum resources to bringing those responsible to justice.
“What happened today is unacceptable on various levels. Today is a black day for our democracy and our freedom of speech,” he told reporters.
Caruana Galizia, 53, died mid-afternoon, close to her home in Bidnija in the north of the island.
The force of the blast reduced her car to pieces and catapulted the journalist’s body into a nearby field, witnesses said. She leaves a husband and three sons.
Thousands of people, holding candles and waving placards, poured into the streets in the island’s northeast resort town Sliema for a candlelight vigil to pay tribute to the reporter.
People left candles, flowers and messages of support at makeshift shrines in the street.
“When the people fear their government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is LIBERTY,” read one sign left on the pavement with flowers and candles.
A local television station reported that Caruana Galizia had filed a police complaint earlier this month about threats she had received.
“I will not rest until justice is done,” said Prime Minister Muscat.
“Everyone knows Ms Caruana Galizia was a harsh critic of mine, both politically and personally, but nobody can justify this barbaric act in any way,” he added.
Caruana Galizia’s death comes four months after Muscat’s Labour Party won a resounding victory in a general election he called early as a result of scandals to which Caruana Galizia’s allegations were central.
Panama connections
Muscat, premier since 2013, went to the polls a year early after his wife, Michelle Muscat, was accused of being the beneficial owner of a secret Panama bank account.
Caruana Galizia had alleged the account was used to stash kickbacks from Azerbaijan’s ruling family linked to an Azeri bank gaining a licence to operate in Malta.
Muscat called the claims the “biggest lie in Maltese political history,” asked a magistrate to investigate and has vowed to quit if any link is established between him and hidden offshore accounts.
The premier has not applied that principle to two of his closest allies.
Chief of staff Schembri and government minister Konrad Mizzi were both revealed last year to be owners of undeclared shell companies established through Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca.
Muscat has stood by both of them.
Muscat, 43, is a former journalist who won plaudits for his polished performances at the helm of Malta’s presidency of the European Union in the first half of this year.
He won power in 2013, ending the 15-year rule of the conservative Nationalist Party on a pro-growth and socially liberal agenda.
In his first term, he enacted legislation introducing gay civil unions and presided over a construction and tourism-based economic boom that analysts say won him the June election.
Some of the corruption allegations that have swirled around his administration are related to a scheme under which wealthy individuals can acquire Maltese passports in return for investing in the island.
There are also suspicions in other European Union countries that the island’s financial services sector is facilitating tax avoidance. German tax authorities is currently investigating some 2,000 Malta-registered companies with links to German corporations.
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Remember this only impacts women who do not receive company top ups on their mat leave pay so lowest paid . At an absolute minimum they should have their maternity extended as they can’t go back to their jobs . The gov showed how fast they could move by creating the pandemic payment so they need to address this anomoly.
@Laura Grimes: I agree that this anomaly needs to be addressed immediately as someone who has recently returned from Mat leave. However, it affects more than just low paid workers as those who have been on unpaid leave prior to returning to work will also be disproportionately affected.
@Laura Grimes: no it also affects women whose wages were topped up by their employer during maternity leave because Revenue are only considering the top-up amount and not taking into account the maternity benefit which makes up their total wage. On top of this it affects men on paternity benefit for three weeks over January or February.
I often wonder why the government have to be dragged kicking and screaming to adjudication before they relent and do the right thing, it just wastes more time and money (ours) before they are made to put it right, ..and followed by the usual apologises.
@Honeybee: because they’re just waiting for you to give up and forget about it…
This applies to men as well who were on paternity leave as well as anyone, male or female, who was on reduced or no pay in Jan or Feb 2020.. it is not related to maternity leave or women alone… This is not saying it is just or correct but I hope that men will be treated equally here too…
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Yes for the love of god let’s hope the men are treated equally here, because they always have to end their careers and take on the burden of childcare, it’s society’s most pressing issue today!
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: paternity leave is 6 weeks, so you would have at least one payslip from January or February. Non-issue
@Julian Friesel: What about people who might have been on sick leave, with say a heart attack? It does seem so obviously unjust and I don’t see why anyone would have to bring it to court to get it corrected.
This is discrimination they could just use the last full pay slip they had before they started maternity leave
@Buster Cat: You’re actually on to something there when you think about what you’ve said and the whole Covid19 payment scheme.
Television gives us a window on the world so why hasn’t the Irish Human Rights Commission objected to the laws restricting our right to own a television The government insists that those in direct provision have access to sky tv because government considers access a human right issue
@Richard Russell: What law restricts our right to own a tv, this is a new one to me?????
@Tony Harris: Tony you need a tv licence to own a tv
@Richard Russell: and that is a law that restricts your rights? I see without a tv you are making your own drama!
I came off work for an operation which was cancelled due to the pandemic. I stopped work 2 week before covid payment came in.Im stuck on 203 euro until i can have it. Until then i recieve €239 per week for me and 2 kids. My wife has 2 weeks left on maternity so we will loose out double. Ive worked for years. I Feel robbed.
@james kelly: to clarify i am on sick leave not the dole. Have health insurance but my job are not helping me. Even took my diesel card and toll tag until i come back
@james kelly: That’s wrong too – I’m sure anyone in your situation can do with an equal payment. I hope you get your operation as soon as possible.
And none of these unions TDs etc batted an eyelid when the covid payment wasn’t given to job seekers many who would have had payslips from January and February
have your say