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19.12.19 2 NEWS KURT SANSONE THE European Parliament has over- whelmingly approved a resolution ask- ing the Brussels executive to enter into dialogue with Malta over rule of law failings and criticising Joseph Muscat's failure to step down immediately. e resolution debated yesterday, was approved on Wednesday with 581 votes in favour, 26 against and 83 abstentions. e resolution delivers another blow to the Prime Minister, who has refused to step down immediately despite the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder in- vestigation leading to claims that Keith Schembri was involved. Schembri, the PM's former chief of staff, resigned but Muscat has resisted pressure to leave immediately, postpon- ing his departure until the 12 January when the Labour Party is expected to choose a new leader. MEPs from across all political group- ings voted for the resolution that was introduced to Parliament after a recent rule of law mission visited Malta. e European Commission will now have to enter into dialogue with Malta over reforms to bolster the rule of law. In a joint statement, PN MEPs said the European Parliament has expressed deep concern that Muscat's delayed resignation continues to pose a risk to the integrity of the Caruana Galizia murder investigation. PN head of delegation, Roberta Metso- la, and European Parliament Quaestor David Casa said the Maltese govern- ment's actions are not a reflection of the Maltese people. "We want the world to know that we are not all cut from the same cloth as Joseph Muscat and the criminals he empowers. ey tried to intimidate, threaten and silence by calling rallies to denounce us as traitors. But we knew then what the world knows now and we refused to give ind33," Metsola said. Muscat is still trying to cling to power for at least another 30 days of chaos: in- terfering, influencing and contaminat- ing the investigation. "He must resign immediately if our country stands any chance of moving forward," she said. Casa said MEPs were not interest- ed in vague expressions of concern or promises of monitoring. "Now we de- mand that the EU Council and the EU Commission do their duty, and we de- mand that they stand up for the Maltese people. I stand proud with the Maltese people. I stand proud with this Europe- an EPP family, which has so far always been there to defend our people." Schembri denies assisting Yorgen Fenech Keith Schembri, the for- mer chief of staff to the Prime Minister, has repeatedly denied ever passing on information to Yorgen Fenech on the inves- tigation into the murder of Daphne Caru- ana Galizia. Facing in- tense question- ing in court this morning, Schem- bri three times denied informing Fenech that his phone was tapped, or that he passed on information that reached him during police updates at Castille. Schembri took the witness stand this morning in a constitutional case filed by Daphne Caruana Galizia murder mas- termind Yorgen Fenech. Fenech wants to have the lead inves- tigator in the case, inspector Keith Ar- naud, removed. Schembri told the court that on the day of Fenech's arrest he had a 24-min- ute-long conversation with the suspect before he was stopped by the army from leaving the island on board his boat. Schembri said Fenech was his friend and regretted not informing Inspector Arnaud of this friendship because it now "looked bad". Schmebri also denied writing any of the letters, which Fenech has claimed were handed to him by Schembri through a third party, with instructions on what to tell the police. e letters were passed on to Fenech while he was on police bail. Fenech has claimed that Schembri kept him informed of progress in the murder investigation. Fenech had filed the case in Novem- ber, after his arrest, demanding that Arnaud be removed from the Caruana Galizia murder investigation. Fenech is claiming that Arnaud was too close to Schembri to investigate the case serenely. He has claimed that Schembri had kept him informed of all the progress in the murder investigation, passing on sensitive information including that Fenech's own phone was being tapped. Schembri got the information from Ar- naud, he claims. Inspector Keith Arnaud and alleged mastermind Yorgen Fenech both testi- fied at length yesterday. During his testimony, Arnaud re- vealed that investigations into Keith Schembri's involvment are ongoing, despite the man not being under arrest. European Parliament approves resolution calling for Muscat to resign immediately With 581 votes in favour, 26 against and 83 abstentions, the European Parliament has criticised Joseph Muscat's failure to step down in the wake of developments in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation Keith Schembri has denied passing on information to Yorgen Fenech (inset)

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