The government takes note of comments made on the persons occupying the role of Chairperson and Members of the independent public inquiry appointed on Friday by the Prime Minister.
Firstly, the government notes that no criticism was made with regards to the terms of reference.
With regards to Mr Justice Emeritus Michael Mallia’s role as court-appointed expert in the compilation of evidence proceedings following the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, this does not interfere with his role as Chairperson of the Inquiry. In fact, Mr Justice Mallia was appointed as expert upon the consent of all parties involved.
Professor Ian Refalo’s appointment was criticised solely due to his role as a professional lawyer. The right to access to a lawyer and the right of a lawyer to practice his or her profession are cornerstones of the rule of law, and this does not impede a lawyer’s judgement. Professor Refalo is well known for his integrity and is a point of reference for the legal profession in Malta. That being said, lawyers are governed by a Code of Ethics.
With regards to the current role of Dr Anthony Abela Medici as Commissioner for NGOs, it has to be stated the Voluntary Organisations Act provides for important safeguards of security of tenure for this post. Therefore, the claim that the Commissioner for NGOs is dependent on government is incorrect.
With reference to the family’s request for a meeting with the Prime Minister, contacts are ongoing for the meeting to take place accordingly.
