Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1021976
NEWS 2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 SEPTEMBER 2018 EXPRESSION OF INTEREST LANDSCAPING Malta Air Traffic Services Limited (MATS) invites interested parties to submit their interest in landscaping management on three-year contract, at its different sites. The company invites companies in the market to attend viewing of the premises, which will be held on the 19th September 2018. Emails for viewing requests shall reach MATS on tenders@maltats.com by the 14th of September. Interested companies are to visit www.maltats.com/procurement/expression-of- interest-landscape-contracting/ for further details. Caruana Galizia investigation continuing 'at pace', AG says YANNICK PACE THE Maltese government hit back at claims by London lawyers Bhatt Murphy that it had failed to fulfil its "inves- tigative duty" under the Euro- pean Convention for Human Rights to find the killers of the assassinated journalist Daph- ne Caruana Galizia. In an interim reply to the lawyers, engaged by the jour- nalist's family, the Attorney General Peter Grech said the Maltese state was assuming its responsibilities as dictated by the European Convention "with outright seriousness". The original opinion was prepared by Caoilfhionn Gal- lagher QC and Jonathan Price of Doughty St Chambers, to- gether with Tony Murphy of Bhatt Murphy. Murphy had demanded that Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat hold a public inquiry by 31 August, or face legal proceedings by the Caruana Galizia family in Malta and ultimately in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The government said in its reply that Murphy's legal ad- vice was "being actively con- sidered" and that its letter was being issued as an interim reply to the request for swift feedback during August. But the reply expressed the government's disappointment at the legal opinion, which the AG said included a number of false allegations, baseless in- sinuations, and incorrect in- formation. "It must also be made clear that that the Magistrate lead- ing the inquiry into the mur- der of Ms Caruana Galiza has unfettered discretion and freedom," Grech said. "Signif- icant resources are still being utilised in this case from both the Malta Police and Maltese Security Services, but I would not expect them to provide a running commentary in the public domain." Daphne Caruana Galizia's son Paul had insisted that Muscat was legally obliged to open a public inquiry into his mother's murder, in com- ments to the BBC. The Attorney General yes- terday, however, said that the police force and the security services were dedicating sig- nificant resources to this case, "however, one cannot expect these authorities to continu- ously comment in public about their work… Our judi- ciary is independent and im- partial." Grech also pointed out that the British lawyers seemed to consider the government as being an enemy of the Caruana Galizia family, de- spite "working diligently with international partners in the law enforcement sector to en- sure those responsible for this crime face justice." "It is rather natural to have an element of frustration at the fact that the investigation is taking its time. However, this is not abnormal in com- plicated investigations such as this," Grech said. Grech said the investigation was resource-intensive, with three suspects – George and Alfred Degiogio, and Vincent Muscat – already in custody and investigations into those who may have been involved "continuing at pace". ypace@mediatoday.com.mt The scene of Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination: Attorney General Peter Grech said 'significant resources' were being utilised in this case from both the Malta Police and Maltese Security Services, but he did not "expect them to provide a running commentary in the public domain" Government hits back at Caruana Galizia's lawyers after claims of breach in human rights Veteran PN journalist to run for MEP ONE of the Nationalist Party's most familiar of faces, the jour- nalist Dione Borg, will be an- nouncing his candidature for the 2019 European elections. Borg, 53, of Attard, is a veteran of Maltese journal- ism, having also documented the government abuses of the 1980s Labour administrations in his book Libertà Mhedda. In recent months, Borg became a more active voice on social media, having comment- ed on the factionalism that has split the PN since the election of Adrian Delia. His candidature has yet to be approved by the PN adminis- trative council. "I have shown myself ready to serve and give the party my contribution, to do what is needed. To me the European elections are an opportunity for the party to become stronger, and for the PN to truly become a voice of the people," Borg told MaltaToday yesterday. Borg has been active inside the PN since 1980. His for- ays on social media in recent months included reflections on the state of the PN, which since the election of Adrian Delia as Opposition leader, has revealed a stark internal divide. "Showing that we are a united Opposition that can take on the government is going to be one of the more important priori- ties in this election," Borg said. "I have a strong connection with the PN grassroots, I feel I pretty much know everyone in the PN. And it's here that I want to contribute: I want the PN's policies to be understood better, even internally, for us to be truly the voice of the people." Borg is also the secretary- general of Floriana FC. Dione Borg (right) with Adrian Delia