VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The fifth anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia was commemorated by a series of events that ended with thousands of activists attended the monthly Vigil for Truth and Justice, held in Valletta. Throughout the event, activists held a large banner hailing Daphne as a Maltese hero.
This year’s anniversary came two days after brothers George, 58 and Alfred Degiorgio, 56 were jailed for 40 years each after pleading guilty to their involvement in the murder.
The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola was the first to address the vigil. She declared that Daphne Caruana Galiziàs weapon was journalism as a means of power to reveal corruption. While adding that Daphne was always led by the principle “of doing what is right”, she appealed to those present to be inspired by what have already achieved. “There is still a lot for us to work on to ensure truth and justice,” Metsola said.
The President of NGO Repubblika Robert Aquilina declared that the civil society will continue to fight in order “to ensure justice for the corruption she revealed and for what Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed for”.
Maria Falcone, sister of Judge Giovanni Falcone, killed by the mafia in the May 23, 1992 attack in Capaci, had been invited by the NGO Repubblika to partecipate in the commemorations for the fifth anniversary of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. While she highlighted that her native Sicily has suffered immensely under the mafia, she urged the crowd to not just realise what a horrific evil the mafia was, but also “the even greater evil that lies in the ties between the mafia and politics.” She quoted one of her brother’s famous quotes – that one should do their duty whatever cost and sacrifice it entailed, because therein lies the essence of human dignity – as she insisted that both her brother and Daphne had exemplified this spirit.
Early in the afteroon a silent gathering was held at Bidnija at the site where investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, was assassinated in a car bomb. Hundreds of activists joined the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and anti-mafia activist Maria Falcone.
During a morning political activity, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Malta must learn from the dark chapter that led to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. While addressing Labour supporters in ?a?-?ebbu?, Abela added “Daphne Caruana Galiziàs homicide was among the darkest chapters of this country’s history, and we would be wrong if we think we can forget or erase that moment from Maltàs past.” Earlier last week, Abela said he would not be attending any of the Daphne Caruana Galizia memorial events over the weekend.
Nationalist Party and Opposition leader Bernard Grech while addressing a political activity in Mosta, insisted that the Maltese government had yet to learn any lessons from the “traumatic” assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and is still determined to silence its critics, including journalists.
During a morning event, international press organisations and NGOs gathered outside Caruana Galiziàs residence to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the journalist’s murder. They declared that the lack of implementation of the recommendations made by the Public Inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galiziàs assassination is “unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, in a mass marking the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, Archbishop Charles Scicluna appealed to the public to make sure that any murder could not be dismissed as “business as usual” – as George Degiorgio, one of her murderers had said in an interview he gave to a Reuters journalist. The mass was celebrated at the Holy Family Church in Bidnija, where Daphne had lived and where she was killed.
– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –
(ITALPRESS).
