Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death is a dark episode that we must learn from, Robert Abela told the party faithful on Sunday.

Addressing a political activity in Żebbuġ, the Prime Minister said Friday’s court sentence was another step towards ensuring full justice for the slain journalist.

Brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio were condemned to 40 years in prison after admitting to their role in blowing up the journalist outside her Bidnija home.

Abela said three people have so far been jailed in connection with the assassination, with another three awaiting trial.

The prime minister said his government had sent a clear message that it wants strong and effective justice.

He described the murder as a dark episode, with the biggest victims being Caruana Galizia’s family.

“We would be mistaken if we think we can either forget or remove this episode from our country’s history. This period does not symbolise what we believe in as a country, or the values of its people”, Abela said.

Abela said he is determined to ensure that there is never a repeat of what happened to Caruana Galizia.

“It is unacceptable in our country or in any other”.

Despite mentioning Caruana Galizia in his Sunday speech, the prime minister earlier ruled out attending any of the memorial events to commemorate the five years since her assassination.

The prime minister said the government had launched a strong reform process in January 2020 to modernise Malta’s democracy.

He said the government had believed in these reforms and is committed to doing more.

Abela took over the reins of the Labour Party after the resignation of Joseph Muscat.

Muscat resigned shortly after Yorgen Fenech, the suspected mastermind behind the assassination, was arrested and charged.

It would later transpire that both Muscat and his then chief of staff Keith Schembri were close friends of Fenech.

Fenech has been implicated in multiple corruption schemes linked to Muscat’s government.

He denies any wrongdoing.