A group of journalism bodies have urged Robert Abela to recommit himself to protecting the landscape for Maltese journalists on the eve of the anniversary of Daphne Caruana Galizia's death.
In an open letter published on Tuesday, the groups said that they had welcomed the conclusions of the public inquiry that found the state culpable in creating the environment that led to the journalist's death.
While this then prompted Abela's government to embark on reform, including proposing legislation about journalist safety and SLAPP suits, the groups have raised questions about the efficacy and lack of transparency surrounding this effort.
"Our organizations have voiced concern that these legislative texts were not effectively open to scrutiny from media experts or did not meet international standards, rendering them potentially ineffective at protecting journalists who need support in the future," they said.
"We additionally note that the state has not taken any action on implementing many of the recommendations of the public inquiry."
The groups went on to say that they will continue to watch legal proceedings against the alleged mastermind and bomb suppliers behind Daphne's killing closely and said that the conclusion of these proceedings will have far-reaching effects.
"The judicial completion of the case by the Maltese authorities, in tandem with actions taken by your government to improve the space for Maltese journalists, will have a wider resonance in Europe, including with press freedom groups, the institutions of the European Union and the Council of Europe," they said.
However, the failure of Maltese authorities to effectively address the corruption and abuse of power that Daphne and other Maltese journalists continue to investigate still creates insecurity and uncertainty for journalists, the groups said.
"To mark the anniversary of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder, we hope that you can recommit to fully implementing the recommendations from the public inquiry and guarantee that pending legislative measures will at minimum meet international standards, and that reforms will be conducted transparently and with the technical assistance of international media experts and the full participation of civil society," they said.
The letter was signed by: ARTICLE 19 Europe, Committee to Protect Journalists, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), International Press Institute (IPI), Media Diversity Institute, OBC Transeuropa (OBCT), PEN International, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Society of Journalists, Warsaw and Transparency International EU.