Prosecution to Appeal Fenech Acquittal, Raising Prospect of Retrial
The prosecution will appeal Yorgen Fenech’s acquittal over the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, potentially opening the way for a retrial. The Attorney General is expected to file the appeal within the 15 working days allowed by law following Wednesday’s 8-1 jury verdict, which cleared Fenech of complicity in the murder and conspiracy to kill Caruana Galizia. The appeal cannot simply argue that the nine jurors reached the wrong conclusion after considering the evidence. Prosecutors must instead identify legal or procedural grounds which they believe were serious enough to have affected the verdict. The appeal will be heard by three judges rather than a jury. If the court upholds the prosecution’s arguments, the case could eventually return to trial. Fenech’s acquittal came after a lengthy trial over the 2017 assassination, for which three men have already been convicted of carrying out the killing.
Archbishop Warns Malta Risks ‘National Capture’ by Informal Networks
Archbishop Charles Scicluna has warned that informal networks of influence could become powerful enough to undermine Malta’s institutions and effectively lead to “national capture”. Speaking during the State of the Nation event on Friday, Scicluna questioned whether Malta’s growing focus on wealth has made money the main measure of progress and quality of life. His comments came days after businessman Yorgen Fenech was acquitted of involvement in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The Archbishop referred to concerns including businessmen buying influence, corruption involving politicians and public officials, police officers assisting criminals and journalists engaging in wrongdoing rather than exposing it. He warned that networks based on loyalty and mutual protection could develop into closed fraternities, placing private interests above public duty and the common good. Invoking Warren Buffett’s warning about the fragility of reputation, Scicluna stressed the need to protect Malta’s reputation and institutional standards.
Majority of Maltese Expect Better Quality of Life Next Year
More than half of respondents in this year’s State of the Nation survey believe they will be living a better life this time next year. Statistician Vincent Marmarà presented the sixth edition of the survey at San Anton Palace on Friday, with 52.3% saying they expect their quality of life to improve by 2027. This represents a 5.3 percentage-point increase over last year and a 13.2-point rise since 2023. Younger respondents were the most optimistic, with 71.8% of those aged 26 to 35 expecting to be better off next year, followed by 66.7% among those aged 16 to 25. Optimism declined with age, with only 37.6% of respondents aged 66 and over expecting their situation to improve. Education also emerged as a significant factor. Some 68.6% of respondents with tertiary education were optimistic about the coming year, compared with 53.7% among those with post-secondary education, 44.8% among those with secondary education and just 18.7% among those with primary-level education.
