The Daphne Caruana Galizia inquiry board has issued a comprehensive list of recommendations after concluding that the state should shoulder the responsibility of the journalist's murder.

Its key demand is that the state should formally acknowledge the "grave shortcomings" of Joseph Muscat's administration leading up to the 2017 car bomb.

And it said police and all relevant authorities should continue their investigations to ensure anyone involved in the assassination is held accountable.

But it also called for change in the relationship between business and government, the police force, and the protection of journalists.

Here are the key recommendations:

The Daphne Caruana Galizia family

  • The government should take every appropriate step to ensure that the state reconciles with the family.
  • The government should start the process of healing the deep and traumatic wounds the family and the country have suffered.

Lobbying, big business and governance

  • Legal amendments to deter the use of political or financial power to escape justice.
  • Laws should be introduced to ensure absolute transparency and accountability in the relationship between government and big business.
  • The regulation of lobbying. All communication between politicians and business should be carried out through official channels.
  • The introduction of unexplained wealth orders.
  • Ensure that the recommendations by the Venice Commission, Greco, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament to strengthen good governance are implemented.

Public officials

  • A law criminalising obstruction of justice by government officials.
  • A specific abuse of office law for public officials.

The media and right to information

  • The setting up of a committee of experts to examine the state of journalism in Malta.
  • The introduction of a legal framework to protect journalists and ensure the profession is self-regulated.
  • Ensure government advertising in the media is distributed fairly.
  • A reform of the freedom of information act to limit the culture of confidentiality and secrecy under the pretext of privacy and commercial sensitivity.
  • Amendments to constitutional provisions establishing the Broadcasting Authority, with the board noting that the public broadcaster failed in its duty to impartial reporting when it did not adequately report on serious allegations of corruption.
  • A code of ethics for journalists should be established.

The protection of journalists

  • An independent commissioner for journalism should be created to implement laws and regulations designed to protect the freedom of the media, the safety of journalists, and the right to information.
  • A constitutional amendment to recognise the right of an individual to receive information from the state and public administration, and the obligation to provide such information.
  • A constitutional amendment to recognise that journalism is one of the pillars of a democratic society and that the state must guarantee and protect it.
  • The establishment of a specific police unit to identify threats to journalists.
  • The police must give weight to a journalist’s investigative work, and promptly investigate any allegations.

 

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