In a non-legislative resolution adopted on Thursday 19 April 2018 during a plenary session, the European Parliament called for a strong response from the European Union after two assassinations of investigative journalists in six months.
On 16 October 2017, the blogger, Daphne Caruana Galizia, was killed during her investigations into corruption in Malta. Between 22-25 February 2018, the journalist, Ján Kuciak, and his partner, Martina Kušnírová, were killed in Slovakia while Mr Kuciak was investigating extortion cases involving European agricultural subsidies, which would have revealed the Calabrian mafia organisation's guilt in the affair, in addition to the possible involvement of Slovak officials.
The President of the Parliament, Antonio Tajani, stated, “The deaths of Daphne Caruana Galizia and Ján Kuciak are attacks on our fundamental values, particularly the principle of the rule of law".
Parliament has been “distressed" by these two crimes and has called on the Commission to take several measures. MEPs have therefore requested that the Commission resume publication of its annual anticorruption reports that ceased in 2017. Other requests include, “Setting up a permanent financial support mechanism with a special budget” to support independent investigative journalists and improve inspections of agricultural subsidy distribution in Slovakia.
Parliament has also ultimately made a robust appeal for an, “effective, comprehensive and transversal directive on the protection of whistleblowers" in view of the Commission's presentation of a draft in this connection based on the prior request from the Parliament (see other article).
Pressure put on Slovak government
On 2 March, a citizens' march against corruption in response to the death of Mr Kuciak, was described by MEPs as, "the biggest wave of peaceful protests and demonstrations organised since the Velvet Revolution of 1989" and led to the resignation of the Slovakian prime minister, Robert Fico.
In a resolution, Parliament said that it was concerned by, "allegations of corruption, misappropriation of Union funds, abuses of power and conflicts of interest in Slovakia" and points out that Slovakia was 117th out of the 137 most corrupt countries in a ranking established by the World Economic Forum (2017).
MEPs have increasingly challenged the intentions of the Slovak government and are calling for, "a joint investigation team to be set up, co-piloted by Europol which will have complete access to the dossier".
Two amendments proposed by Benedek Jávor (Greens/EFA, Hungary) and adopted by a small majority emphasise, "The contempt Slovakians have with regard to the institutions of their country and public agents, particularly the police".
The resolution ultimately calls for the investigations by Ján Kuciak to be continued by the competent national and European authorities.
The investigation by the blogger, Daphne Caruana Galizia, is being continued by a consortium of journalists following her assassination. It has made new revelations about corruption linked to the "golden visas" procedures in Malta (see EUROPE 11974).
The Greens/EFA group in Parliament have claimed that the two Maltese leaders, Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, under investigation by the consortium, should be dismissed from the government. The Greens also said that, "these revelations back up suspicions of money laundering in Malta and the Commission should launch an investigation into this issue". (Original version in French by Mathieu Solal, trainee)