Yesterday, investigative journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia from Malta was killed in a car explosion. The Prime Minister of Malta has confirmed that it was an attack on the prominent journalist. Galizia reported mainly on money laundering and corruption in Malta and also testified in front of the Panama Papers Committee of Inquiry. Sven Giegold, spokesperson for financial and economic policy for the Greens/EFA Group and spokesperson for the Greens in the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry on money laundering and tax evasion (PANA) said:
“Europe must now look to Malta. The murder of a courageous journalist who has been fighting with corrupt elites in her country must lead to a European outcry. The murder of Galizia is an attack on Europe’s democratic values. Europe is governed by the rule of law, not methods of the mafia. The criminal energy and close links between the political and economic elite in Malta are devastating. Malta is a Mecca for money launderers and tax avoiders. Money laundering allegations extend to the centre of the Maltese government. Both major parties in the country have supported international tax avoidance in Malta. Malta’s centre of power suffers from a culture of impunity unlike hardly any other country in the EU. Europe must no longer turn a blind eye to the way in which the rule of law is flouted in Malta. The European Commission needs to take a close look at the situation in Malta and, if necessary, initiate infringement proceedings. The EU Commission has not responded to a corresponding question from us Greens for four months.
We Greens have requested a plenary debate on the murder of Galizia and the rule of law in Malta for the next Strasbourg session. In the negotiations on the final report of the Panama Papers Inquiry Committee, Social Democrats and Christian Democrats have systematically opposed the idea of naming individual responsible states in the final report. The committee’s political mandate to unveil the truth cannot be fulfilled if cards are not put on the table. The vote on the specific mentioning of the Maltese government’s involvement in the final report will be on the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting of the Inquiry Committee. We must clearly state the responsibility of the government in Malta, as well as of other countries that allow money laundering and tax dumping. Tax fairness and effective prosecution of financial crime are crucial for the credibility of the European Union.“
Letter from the Group of the Greens/EFA to the College of the European Commission on Malta and the violation of EU laws of 14 June 2017 (answer from the Commission still pending):
Question by Sven Giegold to the ECB on the enforcement of the Capital Adequacy Directive (CRD IV) and the Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD) in Malta of 5 July 2017:
https://sven-giegold.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/written_question_ECB_Malta_GIEGOLD_signed.pdf
Lapidary response of the ECB of 18 August 2017:
https://sven-giegold.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MEP-GIEGOLD-QZ067-2017-EN.pdf