Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1182484
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 NOVEMBER 2019 MIDI PLC IS INVITING THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR AN OPEN DAY OF FORT MANOEL ON SUNDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2019 BETWEEN 0900HRS – 1600HRS With the participation of Show of Arms Re-Enactment Group (Medieval & Knights period); Battlefield Living History Re-Enactment Group (British/German/American military); and the Marsa Scout Group Pipes & Drums (1430hrs-1530hrs) Guided Tours will be available at 1000hrs and 1130hrs (English) and 1430hrs (Maltese) Mass will be celebrated at 1130hrs at the Fort's Chapel Free Entrance (Parking will be available inside Manoel Island) LABOUR MEP Alfred Sant decried the involvement of the European Court of Justice in Malta's judicial appoint- ments after a decision taken by Mr Justice Mark Chetcuti to refer NGO Repubblika's court case to the ECJ. Sant said that such an in- volvement was proof that Malta's European Union membership was impinging upon Malta's sovereignty. He wrote on Facebook: "We were supposed to have joined the EU after there was a unanimous agreement that in Malta there existed all the necessary safeguards in the running of the coun- try as other members have. It's shameful." Sant also criticised those who seemed surprised that the judiciary was made up of a majority of Labourites and asked them where they were when it was the other way round and the judiciary was made up of mostly National- ist Party supporters. NGO Repubblika claimed that Chetcuti's decision on Monday was a win for ju- ridical independence. "The reason for this case is none other than to ascertain that the judiciary doesn't lose its independence," it said in a statement. The government an- nounced a few moments af- ter the decision that it would be filing a leave for appeal. 'Shameful' - Alfred Sant says ECJ involvement in Maltese judicial appointments is attack on sovereignty Labour MEP Alfred Sant said that Malta's European Union membership was impinging upon Malta's sovereignty MATTHEW AGIUS THE Head of the Security Ser- vices, the Commissioner of Police and the police homicide squad's lead investigator are to testify in the constitutional case filed by the lawyer for one of the men accused of the mur- der of Daphne Caruana Galizia, attacking phone tap evidence. Mr. Justice Toni Abela heard submissions Tuesday morning, after accepting a request by the Caruana Galizia family to be intervenors in the case. Lawyer William Cuschieri, appearing for George Degior- gio, asked the court to exhibit transcripts of statements by the three accused found in the acts of the compilation of evi- dence before magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit. In previous sittings, Cuschieri had challenged the authorities to produce telephone inter- cepts that the prosecution had "bragged about" throughout the compilation of evidence. The intercepts had led the police to Degiorgio, his brother Alfred Degiorgio and Vincent Muscat, as the alleged murder- ers. This morning, Cuschieri re- quested that the Head of the Malta Security Services, the Commissioner of Police and Inspector Keith Arnaud testify in the constitutional case. The court fixed dates in November for two full-day sittings to hear their testimony. Both a judicial protest and Constitutional case revolve around the issue of the phone taps. The Constitutional Court has so far refused to grant an interim measure to George Degiorgio that would have sus- pended the criminal proceed- ings against him. Degiorgio had asked the court to suspend criminal proceedings pending the outcome of the wiretap case. George Degiorgio, his broth- er Alfred Degiorgio, and Vince Muscat stand accused of pre- paring, planting and detonat- ing the car bomb that killed Caruana Galizia two years ago. Lawyers Victoria Buttigieg and Maurizio Cordina ap- peared for the Office of the AG. Lawyers Therese Como- dini Cachia and Karol Aquilina assisted the Caruana Galizia family. Security Services head, police commissioner to testify in Degiorgio phone tapping case