Nationalist Party MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa said, “if we do not defend the media and protect journalists, the EU risks weakening its democratic credentials.”The MEPs were taking part in a debate in the European Parliament plenary on crimes against journalists.

Head of Delegation Roberta Metsola, who opened the debate, paid tribute to the courage and resolve of assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

She reiterated her call for justice saying, “the masterminds behind her assassination remain at large. The subjects of her investigations remain protected from investigation at the highest political levels. It is not acceptable. It is outrageous.”

The call was reiterated by MEP David Casa who stated that crimes against journalists are most likely to occur when those that they expose remain in positions of power.

“This is when journalists are most at risk. The case of Daphne Caruana Galizia is a prime example. Powerful people that she exposed as corrupt criminals continue to run the office of the Maltese Prime Minister and Malta’s power station,” he said.

MEP Metsola also said, “the media is the gatekeeper. The body that separates facts from fiction. So when shadowy multi-nationals, illicit banks and unscrupulous politicians implicated in serious money-laundering and corruption activities, start to abuse the courts to go after our journalists, the attack is serious. When journalists are assassinated, it is an attack on all of us.”

She added “we need to protect journalists not only from physical harm but from vexatious lawsuits. We need an EU anti-SLAPP law and we need to make EU funds available to media houses to fight their corner. Media freedom is as important as an independent judiciary and should be seen as such.”

MEP Casa also condemned Keith Schembri’s refusal to step down following the dramatic events in court this week.

“We know that they are corrupt. After this week’s developments in court we can say it clearly and unequivocally. Keith Schembri, the prime minister’s chief of staff refused to answer questions in court relating to Daphne’s work out of fear of incriminating himself. And yet he continues to head the most powerful office in Malta,” he said.

Casa referred to the ongoing struggle to set-up an independent public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia that is truly public and truly independent.

The MEP went on to say,”under these circumstances it is no wonder that the Maltese government is dragging its feet to comply with the Council of Europe demand to set-up a truly public and independent public inquiry. It is no wonder that – if by a miracle the government sets up an independent inquiry – it would want its report to be hidden from the public.”

Casa said that impunity for corrupt politicians exposed by journalists leaves all journalists vulnerable.

“This institution must stand strong against this travesty of justice, this trampling our shared European values. This state of affairs is an absolute disgrace and must not be allowed to persist.” David Casa thanked other MEPs for their unwavering support.

The plenary debate was dominated by references to investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia by MEPs from across political groups.

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