While reforms to Malta's judicial appointments had strengthened the independence of the justice system, the length of proceedings has continued to deteriorate, an EU commissioner said on Thursday.
In an opening address to the European Parliament discussing rule of law, European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová said although Malta had increased the allocation of resources to investigative and prosecution bodies, the investigation into high-level corruption cases remain lengthy.
Results in terms of final judgments are still lacking and remain a cause of concern, the commissioner said.
Renew Europe Group MEP Sophia in 't Veld, who was the only non-Maltese MEP to speak on Malta, described the justice system as weak and insisted that journalists remained under pressure.
“Despite the reforms, there has been no change in political culture."
In’t Veld was the only foreign MEP to address the rule of law situation in Malta during the debate.
“Corruption is poison,” the Dutch MEP said.
Meanwhile, Nationalist and Labour MEPs gave a completely contrasting version of the state of Malta's rule of law as the subject was under the spotlight in the European Parliament.
PN MEP David Casa said prosecutions in Malta had failed due to gross incompetence and intentional corruption while Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba accused the European People's Party of "absolute deceit and hypocrisy”.
Malta was included in the agenda after the court ordered police action against author Mark Camilleri for violating court-order. Camilleri released WhatsApp chats between Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar and Yorgen Fenech, the businessman awaiting trial for complicity in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Addressing the chamber in Brussels, Casa described investigations into corruption in Malta as “never-ending,” while legal action had been taken at “lightning speed” against Camilleri.
Describing the situation in Malta as “only going from bad to worse,” Casa also drew attention to the fraudulent Vitals/Steward deal.
“They even profit off the sick,” Casa said in a blistering attack on the government’s deal with Vitals and later Steward Healthcare.
“The Maltese and Gozitan people deserve better,” Casa said, and appealed to the European Commission to “take action... to ensure the institutions protect the Maltese and not those who betray them, to prosecute the corrupt and not those who expose them”.
Speaking after Casa, Labour MEP Agius Saliba said it had become the easiest way to divert real threats to the rule of law perpetrated by EPP governments.
Criticising the EPP for “repeating recycled information and misinformation,” Agius Saliba hit back at what he called “rule of law crusaders” attacking the right of Maltese courts to protect documents pertaining to the Yorgen Fenech court case.
Agius Saliba said the chats between Cutajar and Fenech “should never have been published,” and criticised the EPP for putting its attention on Malta.
“While attacking Malta, at the same time the EPP is defending the Greek conservative government that believes in the rule of law so much it is spying on one of the opposition party’s leaders,” he said.
“Today, the EPP managed to turn this debate in the European Parliament into a farce,” he said.
The European Commission is currently compiling a report on the rule of law throughout the EU, with a vote due next month.
Watch the debate below. Click on the 'Change audio track' icon to switch the language to English or Maltese.