Goodmorning everyone. The murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Bidnija, Malta, was about one year ago (16.10.2017). She was a Maltese investigative journalist, writer and anti-corruption activist. This is the interview to Andrew Borg Carbott, young Maletese journalist, about this story.
This is the original interview in English. You can also read the article in Italian here.
Hello Andrew and thanks to have accepted our interview. Let’s introduce you: what do you study and which are your main activities in Malta?
First I would like to thank you for showing interest and for feature my opinion. I am at the moment reading my third and last year in bacheleor of Arts degree in Journalism. I am at the moment during my erasmus internship with the Reykjavik International Film Festival in Iceland which is giving me very fruitful results and surely building my professional experience all the more.
Now, let’s talk about Daphne. How is proceeding with the enquiry about the murder of the journalist Daphne Galizia?
This case has definitely was one of the biggest in Malta however the proceedings in Malta seem to be taking the normal beurocratic pace that court usually takes. The last update I know is that more evidence was presented in another court hearing. However no definite results or sentences were given to the alleged murderers of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Which atmosphere do you think there is in Malta, after the murder? Do the citizens trust in the Government or not? What does the public opinion think about? And you?
At first the atmosphere in Malta was that of worry for the liberty of speech and freedom of press having said that, this feeling being in minority the situation here in Malta is back to normal as if nothing happened atleast amongst the general public. I believe that the minority who value this case as it should be do not trust the government to the full.
I consider myself part of this minority. Both as a journalist and as a citizen I think that this case was a test for this goverence and to the shout that it was elected by. Good governence. Without discrediting, good goverence does not only mean seeking to give free child care centres, or deduct energy bills etc… it is about making a difference to what actually matters per principle. Taking action when it is needed, securing that freedom of the press is regained its position as the 4th estate that is necessary for a democratic country to be in fact democratic.
This government is not only omitting from updating its people with this case and assuring that the press is free but baricating a memorial that was done in front of Court, Valletta in memory of the assasinated journalist [as the tweet of Matthew Caruana Galizia shows, on side]. My opinion is that this Government had failed to enact this new era of good governance that it proposed.
Why Daphne Galizia’s investigative journalism was so important, and what do you think this story has teached us?
Galizia’s work was important because she wrote about what other journalists dared not to. I think this case above all thaught us and threw us journalists a life line knowing that freedom of the press and our job is yet still relevant to our society and to those who rule or have some sort of power. Otherwise she would not have been assasinated. Our job now is to continue where she left from, being fearless, and putting light to realities that bring justice to the people.
In closing, which projects do you have for your future?
In the future I intend to finish reading the Bacheleor’s degree and moving on to Masters. Hopefully encountering new experiences, meeting new people, writing new stories and be of value to society.
Well, good luck!
Article of: Alice Palombarani
Written and published: 19.09.2018
Andrew was interviewed: 14.09.2018
