Justice Minister Owen Bonnici has appealed for calm and prudence, after Wednesday's incidents outside Parliament, where his car was surrounded by protesters who were calling for resignations. GardaWorld’s online Active Shooter training could make all the difference. On 20 November, civil society groups led by Repubblika, Occupy Justice, and manueldelia.com, announced a protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office, Auberge de Castille, calling for Muscat's resignation. [65], On 19 November 2019, Muscat announced that he had written to Melvin Theuma, an alleged middleman in the Caruana Galizia murder case, offering him a pardon in exchange for exhaustive information detailing those involved in the assassination plot,[71] following Theuma's arrest during the previous week (on a separate case). September 4, 2019, 9:01 am. Protests decrying corruption and calling for the Prime Minister's resignation, have been growing in numbers and intensity.

VALLETTA, Malta -- Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told the nation Sunday night that he would resign in January, following pressure from angry citizens for the truth about the 2017 car bombing that killed an anti-corruption journalist. [129] They shook hands afterwards. MaltaToday is the 24/7 online newspaper renowned for its investigative and analytical journalism together with commentary, culture, sports and business. including but not limited to any deep-linking or framing in order to copy, distribute, display or monitor any portion of the website. [69] Six days later, Schembri resigned from his post as chief of staff, was questioned by police,[72] and was released on police bail. [7], On the day, MaltaToday published a photo of Schembri with the alleged middleman in the assassination plot, Melvin Theuma, at the Prime Minister's office in Castille.

[195][196] Delia viewed the news coverage to be "untrue", "defamatory and libellous" and aimed to "put him in danger. Close to 20,000 Maltese citizens jammed Republic Street outside the courthouse in what was by far the largest turnout so far in weeks of public outpouring of anger and disgust aimed at Muscat's government. Numerous civil society groups are expected to join the protest. Vicki Ann Cremona of Repubblika and Manuel Delia denied the rumour, stating that becoming a political party would be contrary to the group's aim of achieving "the rule of law". [83], Another protest was called for 25 November 2019. Muscat was referring to prominent Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech, who on Saturday night, was arraigned on charges of alleged complicity in the murder and of allegedly organizing and financing the bombing.

On 20 November, civil society groups led by Repubblika, Occupy Justice, and manueldelia.com, announced a protest in front of the Prime Minister's Office, Auberge de Castille, calling for Muscat's resignation. [78] The groups said they did not invite the Nationalist Party, or any other party, for the demonstration, but they would not oppose anyone wanting to join. Malta, an island nation of nearly 500,000 citizens, gained its independence from Great Britain in 1964, and its people subsequently declared it a Republic in 1974. Organisations including Moviment Graffitti, Din L-Art Ħelwa, Birdlife, Ramblers, FAA, aditus, Kopin, Fish4Tomorrow and SOS Malta participated alongside 59 others including resident associations, professional and student organisations. They were riled by opposition Nationalist MPs shouting “thieves, mafia.” Prime Minister Muscat attempted to calm MPs, but the chaotic scenes escalated when he entered parliament. [20] Constitutional experts, legal bodies, and other representatives stated that Muscat's decision to remain in office until January 2020 and to have a more than six-week Parliamentary recess over Christmas[21][22] led to the crisis within Maltese institutions. Among her targets were those in Muscat’s political inner circle, including those in his Cabinet. Posted at 0:42 10 May Inside 2020's cancelled Eurovision Song Contest [181], On 11 December, a protest was called by NGOs for Friday, 13 December – coinciding with Republic Day, a national holiday in Malta. She was subsequently assassinated with a bomb installed into her car, on 16 October 2017. Malta’s embattled prime minister says he will resign next month, addressing the nation amid protests over the car bomb killing of an anti-corruption journalist "[210] The same MP insisted the 2 December protest was not a protest but "sedition", showing a jacket he wore for that evening's sitting with egg-stains. [32] On 13 January 2020, Joseph Muscat resigned,[33] satisfying one of the protestors' main demands. Thousands of citizens joined a protest in Valletta today to demand better environmental protection and a better quality of life. [113] The protest was the largest one so far, with the pressure mounting on Muscat to step down. [227], On 8 December 2019, Muscat began his "farewell tour" of Labour voters, visiting supporters in Naxxar, Żebbuġ and Paola. [92] Prime Minister Muscat thanked Schembri, saying "I thank Keith for his hard work, he played a crucial role. [141] Protesters held European Union (EU) and Maltese flags and sometimes shouting "mafia" and throwing fake €5,000 notes demanding the interrogation of Muscat and the arrest of Schembri. [106] Fenech had claimed Schembri was responsible for the Caruana Galizia assassination in October 2017. De Gaetano described the situation as an "institutional crisis" rather than a constitutional one, as the crisis affects other organs and actors which may not necessarily emanate from the Constitution, such as the "police force, political parties and the myriad regulatory bodies and public authorities and entities that keep being created. [173] This coincided with the opening of the European leaders' summit meeting, which was attended by the Prime Minister. While many celebrated her as an anti-corruption champion, some on the island whose dealings she exposed scorned her work. Addressing the Prime Minister, Borg Bonello ended her fiery speech by decrying Muscat’s ‘evil kingdom’.

Protesters carried banners, flares, drums, megaphones, and flags to get their message across and shouted: "Daphne was right". [200][201] Other speakers included Manuel Delia,[202] and members from the Chance Civil Hub Against Organised Crime in Europe. Provocation is assassinating your critics, allowing the mafia to take over, protecting criminals for years, looting our nation. [107] Maltese and foreign journalists were kept against their will after attending a press conference organised at 3 a.m.[108] Tensions escalated after the security officials refused to identify themselves to journalists, or tell them why they were not being let out of the building. [113], Late in the evening on 1 December, Muscat announced his plan to resign on national television. There are always great opportunities for the best security talent to join GardaWorld and grow professionally. The organising groups stated that Muscat needed to shoulder political responsibility because had Muscat not failed to have Schembri and Mizzi removed, "Daphne Caruana Galizia would still be alive. [54], On 22 October 2017, the Civil Society Network organised a protest demanding justice and calling for the immediate resignation of the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General. [143] Opposition MPs boycotted the last sessions of Parliament as Muscat refused to resign immediately, with Parliament unanimously approving the Budget estimates in a marathon vote session. ", ~ Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 16 October 2019, On 11 November 2019, Muscat's chief of staff, Keith Schembri, dropped a libel case against Simon Busuttil, in order to avoid testifying about 17 Black, a shell company based in Dubai, which had become implicated with the Panama Papers.

[45] A series of monthly protests and vigils in remembrance of Caruana Galizia were held by civil society organisations on every sixteenth day of the month from October 2017 onward,[46][47][48] in addition to ongoing anti-corruption protests and marches.