Opposition bill to implement Daphne inquiry blocked from parliamentary agenda
The Nationalist Party has accused the government of using its parliamentary majority to prevent debate on a legislative package that would implement the recommendations of the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Despite the House of Representatives reconvening in early October after its summer recess, the government has refused to place the so-called "omnibus bill" on the agenda, according to statements made by the Opposition in late September.
Ten reforms in legislative limbo
The proposed bill contains ten key reforms drawn from the inquiry's final report, which concluded in 2021 that the Maltese state had created an "atmosphere of impunity" that led to Caruana Galizia's death. The package includes measures to investigate and seize unexplained wealth, constitutional protections for journalism, and the establishment of fundamental duties for governments exercising public power.
Other proposals in the bill would:
• Create a framework for a caretaker government.
• Establish offenses for obstructing or unlawfully influencing the administration of justice.
• Introduce a crime of participation in a mafia-type criminal association, modelled on Article 416 bis of the Italian Criminal Code.
• Impose criminal liability on public officials who refuse or fail to carry out their duties.
• Create a new offense for abuse of public authority.
Procedural manoeuvre blocks private members' business
When the Opposition announced its intention to present the bill as private business on a day allocated under standing orders for opposition business, the government whip responded with a countermove. The government announced it would present a procedural motion to reserve the first 90 days of Private Members' Business for government backbenchers, effectively blocking the Opposition's bill from being tabled.
Opposition Leader Alex Borg had previously tabled a motion in early September obliging the government to implement all inquiry recommendations by the end of October, which the government also blocked. The Nationalist Party stated that the government is "manipulating parliamentary procedure" to prevent discussion on a matter of national importance.
Anti-mafia laws and unexplained wealth orders remain unimplemented
The inquiry's recommendations sought to address systemic failures in Malta's fight against financial crime. The report called specifically for Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs), a mechanism that would oblige individuals to explain the source of suspicious assets, as well as anti-mafia legislation targeting criminal associations.
Years after the inquiry concluded, these mechanisms have yet to be fully implemented. International watchdogs have repeatedly criticized the pace of reform.
Press freedom ranking remains among worst in EU
Reporters Without Borders noted in its 2024 assessment that Malta ranks 67th globally out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index — a six-place rise attributed largely to deteriorating conditions elsewhere rather than domestic progress. Malta remains one of the European Union's worst performers, placing 23rd out of 27 EU member states.
The organization has criticized Malta's anti-SLAPP legal notice as providing "absolutely insufficient protection," noting it primarily covers cross-border cases and fails to address domestic lawsuits used to silence journalists. Media-related bills, including proposed "Protection of the Media and Journalists" legislation, have been pending in parliament since October 2022.
The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights has urged Malta to ensure legislative work complies with international standards, while journalists reporting on sensitive topics continue to face abuse and discrimination in accessing information.
