Malta's government plunges into crisis

Twenty minutes before her death at 16. October 2017 published Daphne Caruana Galizia your last article. He carried the Headline: "These crooks Schembri was in court today and claimed he was not a crook." The wrath of the journalist was Keith Schembri, the chief of staff of the Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. Schembri had sued an opposition politician who had referred to him as corrupt. Caruana Galizia died shortly afterwards, as under your car seat, an IED exploded. A few weeks later, three men were arrested under the suspicion of having placed the bomb. But who had given the murder in order, remained unclear.

Two years after the bombing, the investigation of the case crashes now the Maltese government is in an existential crisis. On Tuesday morning, the Prime Muscat confirmed that the Keith Schembri, on the Caruana Galizia had so outraged, had resigned his office. Schembri was brought on for a hearing at the headquarters of the police. In addition, officials were looking for, according to the Times of Malta police in the house.

On Tuesday afternoon, then the next drum beats. Only another Paragon Muscats, tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi resigned. A little later, economy Minister Chris Cardona ordered to rest his office, until the ongoing investigations are completed. Cardona was advised in the past year under pressure, because he is one of the killer Caruana Galizias have taken.

arrest at dawn

Schembri and Mizzi, two letter owned box company in Panama. The Daphne Caruana Galizia revealed in February 2016. The Offshore companies were just after the takeover of the Labour party in Malta founded. From the Panama Papers, it was that these letter box companies on a monthly basis is 150'000 US Dollar should get from a Dubai-registered company called 17 Black Limited. This, in turn, Yorgen Fenech belonged to. The Maltese businessman was at the same time a member of the Board of Directors of the consortium, which had in 2013 the tender for a 450-million-Euro power plant project. This nourished the suspicion that Fenechs company 17 Black grease money to Schembri, and Mizzi for the power plant deal should be conducted.

Last week was Fenech has been arrested as he tried to leave in the morning with his Yacht in Malta. Maltese Newspapers reports that Fenech had not been burdened with Schembri in an interrogation difficult. The chief of staff have met with the alleged middle man in the murder case, which had also been recently arrested, and this a Job in the government promised. In addition, he was allegedly involved in at least one major corruption deal.

tourism Minister Mizzi said in a Statement to have no connection to 17 Black or Yorgen Fenech. "I've made in criminal legal terms is nothing wrong," he added. Schembri was not reached on Tuesday for a POI request. Schembri and Mizzi were the fabric of the Central figures in the Maltese power. Schembri had his office in the Auberge de Castille, the office of the Prime Minister, right next to the Muscats was also Mizzis office it is not far. Since the Panama-Papers-revelations you seem to have ignored calls for his resignation. Three and a half years later, they vacate their Posts now.

Muscat staged in

For Muscat, this is a hard, perhaps a decisive blow. "I'm going to cases in the coming hours and weeks of further decisions that are necessary for the Well-being of this country and its stability," he said after Schembris resignation. Muscats can understand Statements one way or the other.

In the past two weeks, since the arrest of the alleged middle man by Maltese officials and experts from Europol, expressed Muscat every few hours in Public. The message to the Maltese was: "Look, I'm fighting for the whole truth in this murder case." It should probably act as if he is the true one, the investigating judge of the island.

mood of the people against Muscat

Muscat has long been popular in the people, in spite of the doubts on the character of the inner-circle of most around him and also to his own family. This was evident even at the early elections in June, 2017. Labour won with 55 percent of the vote. You gave Muscat that he has left the country with a long Phase of economic growth. In the eyes of his followers, the critics were not only eat and the envious, the shadow on the Cabinet was as a result of a conspiracy.

But now the mood of the people seems to be to handle. In the past few weeks, there were in the capital, Valletta, a series of demonstrations. Protesters brought a Banner with the inscription "no to corruption" at the office of the Prime Minister. On Monday evening, hundreds of people gathered in spite of rain on metal pots in front of Malta's Parliament, shouting "justice," "Mafia, Mafia" and "Shame on you". She kicks required return, as it calls for the opposition conservative Nationalist Party.

With its many Statements in Muscat contributed to the General confusion even. Two men arrested, the entrepreneur Fenech and the middle-man, he offered a presidential Amnesty for information, which were used to grasp the guilty, and to condemn. In the case of the middle man that was particularly controversial, because to him the justice other crimes that have nothing to do with the case, Daphne. Time, Muscat said that he get the pardon, he withdrew the confession again. Now it looks as if the middle man shall be pardoned, really. According to the Times of Malta, he apparently has some explosive tape recordings, which sharpen the dimly lit contours of the murder and could reveal the men behind.

The epilogue of this drama is so short. Muscat had met late on Monday night, with Schembri, after he had obtained the confidence of his MPs. This was reportedly unanimous. Then, the events were precipitated on the island in the Mediterranean sea.

family calls for criminal Consistent for chief of staff

In a Statement, called on the family of the killed Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta authorities to keep track of Keith Schembri immediately prosecuted. This was omitted in the case of Schembri and Mizzi under, "had fatal consequences for our wife and mother," wrote Daphne's widower and their three sons.

The German Greens politician Sven Giegold welcomed the resignation of the chief of staff. The EU Parliament is a member of the working group on the rule of law in Malta and in Slovakia. This was set up by the Parliament after the murder of Caruana Galizia and the Slovak investigative journalists Ján Kuciak in February 2018. "The resignation of Schembri was long overdue. Schembris involvement in the Panama Papers, and questionable transactions in the energy sector had been known for many years," said Giegold. The members of the European Parliament called for an international investigation by a recognised judge and personalities. Only in this way the confidence in the rule of law in Malta could be restored.

According to the rode of his comrades-in-arms moves by Prime Minister Muscat is beating strongly. Already at the weekend he had announced plans to stand for re-election. However, immediate personal consequences he would have only in one case: "I would definitely come back if there was any connection between me and the murder," said Muscat on Tuesday. Normally he is until 2022 in the office. In Malta, it is now based on the assumption that his resignation is likely to be more of a matter of days.

Created: 26.11.2019, 23:45 PM