Malta's government must bear responsibility for journalist's assassination, inquiry finds

The public inquiry, carried out by one lively and two retired judges, discovered "the State must bear responsibility for the assassination because it created an atmosphere of impunity generated from the highest levels in the heart of the administration within the Office of the Prime Minister that like an octopus spread to other entities, such as regulatory institutions and the police, leading to the collapse of the rule of law," in response to a information launch from the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation and the legal professionals representing Caruana Galizia's household.

It added the state didn't "recognise as they should have the real and immediate risks, including from the criminal intent of third parties, to Daphne Caruana Galizia's life," and didn't take affordable steps to keep away from the menace.

Abela mentioned he felt "duty bound to apologise to the family of the late Mrs Daphne Caruana Galizia and all those who feel aggrieved by this dark episode in our nation's history."

Abela mentioned in a tweet Thursday that the report "merits mature analysis beyond partisan arguments. Lessons must be drawn and the reforms must continue with greater resolve."

Caruana Galizia household's mentioned in an announcement that the inquiry's findings "confirm the conviction our family held from the moment Daphne was assassinated: that her assassination was a direct result of the collapse of the rule of law and the impunity that the State provided to the corrupt network she was reporting on."

The household mentioned it hopes the findings will result in the "restoration of the rule of law in Malta, effective protection for journalists, and an end to the impunity that the corrupt officials Daphne investigated continue to enjoy. Daphne and her work will live on in ensuring that the recommendations of this Inquiry effect lasting change."

Joseph Muscat mentioned in an announcement Thursday: "It is to be noted that the Inquiry found that the State had no prior knowledge of, or was involved in the assassination. The report also unequivocally states that I was in no way implicated in the murder."

However, regardless of his "very serious reservations on the shortcomings of the Inquiry," Muscat added: "I accept the said conclusions as I have always done in the past out of respect for the Institutions."

"As I said when I announced I would be stepping down from Prime Minister, I was doing so to shoulder responsibilities which were mine and also those which were not, including those mentioned in this Inquiry. I paid the ultimate political price for this," he added.

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation mentioned in an announcement: "This report is a landmark in the campaign to ensure that the Maltese State is held accountable for its positive obligation to protect journalists. We call on the Government to accept the recommendations of the Inquiry and to publish its plan of action without delay.

"This is a historic alternative to make sure actual change for the protection of journalists and to a technique of nationwide therapeutic following the traumatic assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia on 16 October 2017," they added.

This article has been up to date to mirror the proper date of Caruana Galizia's loss of life. It was October 2017.