Repubblika prepare for national protest on Friday

Repubblika is going ahead with a national protest on Friday at 6:30pm with renewed calls for justice amid “impunity by the Commissioner of Police and Prime Minister”.

Members of the rule-of-law NGO have been camping outside the police depot since Tuesday night, with the demonstration culminating in a national protest outside Castille square.

“These past three days and nights in front of the depot are not the end of our protest against the impunity facilitated by the Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà and Prime Minister Robert Abela. Our protest ends only when we get what we want,” NGO President Robert Aquilina said.

“We are confident that the majority of Maltese are tired of politicians and public officials serving corrupt people, criminals, and assassins for their egoistic goals rather than the public and national interest.”

To whoever agrees with this sentiment, Aquilina appealed for them to join the national protest.

The protest is being held exactly three months after the public inquiry report into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia was published.

“It disappoints us to note how, three months after the inquiry report found the State responsible for the assassination of Caruana Galizia, Prime Minister Robert Abela hasn’t taken the obvious steps and decisions forward.”

One of the issues flagged by the report was the air of impunity facilitated by government that led to Caruana Galizia’s murder. On this, Aquilina said that this impunity is still alive.

“It is unacceptable for us as a country to have ‘untouchables’. It is unacceptable, in any country that wishes to be taken seriously, that almost six years after the publication of the Panama Papers, the police have not been able to bring anyone to court.”

“We gave Robert Abela a chance. We warned him that if he doesn’t take action, we will do so ourselves. And that’s what we’re doing.”