Opposition leader Bernard Grech on Tuesday announced the PN will once again be pushing for the adoption of an anti-corruption bill, based on the conclusions of the Daphne Caruana Galizia inquiry.
Addressing a press conference one year on from the inquiry, Grech slammed the government for failing to implement its recommendations.
He reminded how the PN’s own proposals had been shot down in parliament by the government.
“That day in parliament, government members spoke out against the proposals, and against the conclusions by the three judges in the inquiry. Our proposals did not make it through parliament.”
The proposals range from making obstruction of justice a crime to allowing the police to detain suspects in major crimes without charges for 72 hours instead of the 48 currently permitted.
Proposals also include introducing a law for unexplained wealth orders.
Grech said a further six months had passed since the parliamentary vote, with the government having done “absolutely nothing” to implement the findings by the three judges.
“Three judges found Robert Abela, Joseph Muscat, and the Labour government guilty of creating an environment of impunity.
“Robert Abela wants to make us forget these conclusions. We have a duty to make sure these recommendations are implemented,” Grech said.
Grech said the Opposition will again present its anti-corruption bills to the Speaker on Tuesday, in a bid to again ensure the inquiry’s findings are implemented.
PN justice spokesperson Karol Aquilina said the proposals, originally drafted by ex-MP Jason Azzopardi, need to be implemented “today before tomorrow”.
Published in July 2021, the Caruana Galizia inquiry report concluded that the state bore responsibility for the journalist's murder, as it had fostered a culture of impunity stretching to the highest echelons of power.
Caruana Galizia was assassinated in October 2017.
The three-person board of inquiry made a series of recommendations about how laws and processes should be changed to prevent a similar crime from reoccurring.