The government-appointed inquiry into the femicide of Bernice Cassar revealed shortcomings the public and state were already aware of, the PN has said.
“Through this report, it was made clear what everyone already knew, that the state, the government, failed to protect the life of Bernice Cassar, and continues to fail to protect domestic violence victims,” said PN MP and Justice Spokesperson Karol Aquilina said.
He highlighted that while the inquiry report was completed back in January it was only announced a night before the decision of the Vitals-Stewards deal.
Last month, the report confirmed that the state system failed the mother-of two, particularly because of a "lack of resources" and a "heavy caseload".
The day before Cassar was murdered at an industrial estate in Paola, her lawyer begged police to intervene to avoid a 'tragedy'. The victim's estranged husband has since been charged with murder.
On his end, PN MP Joe Giglio said there was no need for an inquiry to highlight the shortcomings since the public and state knew there is a police shortage.
"There are big problems in the police corp, which for years, the party has been addressing," Giglio said.
The Home Affairs spokesperson described the police corp as “demotivated, overworked, overstretched, and definitely not overpaid.”
He said that throughout the past few years, the public has seen more and more police leave the force or retire before the retirement age.
He also made reference to how assistant police chiefs are retiring due to concerns about pressure and poor working conditions.
Giglio said that if the government does not address the lack of police resources, “we will continue to have more victims.”
“When I say we will see more victims, security does not only look at domestic violence cases, but so much more,” he said.
“Ask yourself how many workplace and traffic accidents we have recently seen. Last year alone, we had a record number of deaths on our roads, so not even our roads have the necessary enforcement or resources, which has been confirmed through this inquiry.”
Giglio said people no longer feel safe in their homes, on the roads or in their workplaces, echoing a statement he passed earlier this week in Parliament when he dismissed an academic report that marked a decline in Malta’s crime rates.
“The ministers concerned are not seeing this urgency, instead they had to run an inquiry to confirm what we already know. Unless they address these issues, we will continue to have more victims.”
Both MPs called for the public to join them this Sunday for a national protest.