[WATCH] Activists: ‘MEPs’ fact-finding mission gives hope that we are not alone’

Civil society activists from the groups L-Awturi, Il-Kenniesa, Occupy Justice and V.U.C.I. held a protest outside Europe House in St Paul’s Street in Valletta ahead of a press conference by the head of the MEP fact-finding delegation to Malta.

MEPs from the six largest political groups of the European Parliament are in Malta to discuss the rule of law. The fact-finding mission is in Malta following a resolution, which was adopted in November expressing concerns of the rule of law in the wake of Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder.

The activists, who have kept up pressure on local authorities, demanding the resignation of the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner, said that they had gathered in Valletta to demand justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The journalist was killed in a car bomb attack last month.

They said that despite “a number of independent actions” taken to demand the removal of the AG and the Commissioner, their demands had been ignored.

Photo: James Bianchi

Photo: James Bianchi

“Yesterday we were given the opportunity to discuss with the European Committee our great concerns about the situation in our country,” the groups said in a statement.

“We trust that they will deliver our message to the Prime Minster in the hope that he will finally listen and act.”

They stressed that justice needed to be done, and also needed to appear to be done.

“The country is facing an institutional crisis, whereby the Rule of Law has collapsed. This is unacceptable in any country, let alone in a country, which is part of the European Union. The fact-finding mission gives us hope that we are not alone in this.

Other activists asked to comment refused to speak to MaltaToday. "It's not that I hate you, but your newspaper is compromised," one activist said. "I refuse to speak to you because you're not a real newspaper."