Repubblika welcomes with appreciation the inaugural speech of President Myriam Spiteri Debono which reflects her hopes and ours for her presidency.
We really appreciate that the President called for the open wound of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia to begin to heal. As the President said, the implementation of the recommendation of the public inquiry into her murder, which has now been concluded for nearly three years, has yet to take place.
We appreciate just as much the President’s comments on the need for reforms to protect free expression and journalism. We are still waiting for the government to keep its promise for a White Paper with reforms to protect journalists.
Repubblica also appreciates the thought of President Spiteri Debono that renews the ambition for a discussion on constitutional change. At the same time we reiterate our support for the values mentioned by the President such as for example the use of constitutional tools that force the political parties to seek consensus in their decisions. We remind readers that recently the government removed the obligation of two thirds to appoint a Commissioner for Standards in Public Life. Like the President, we think that the two-thirds rule in certain circumstances is not an obstacle but a tool for better governance.
Regarding constitutional changes, we also welcome the observations of President Spiteri Debono regarding the need for constitutional amendments to remove the disadvantage for those who vote for candidates who do not belong to any of the two political parties already in Parliament. As we explained in our proposals for Parliamentary reforms, Malta needs a Parliament that truly represents the Maltese and the Gozitans while keeping a close watch on their government.
We also reiterate our appreciation for the President’s remarks regarding the inclusion of persons who were not born in Malta but have made Malta their home. We reiterate the appeal we made in the consultation made by the government for a policy against racism so that our brothers who live with us are no longer considered as subjects of our exploitation but as our Maltese brothers. We are still waiting for the government to implement a policy against racism and the hatred of those considered as foreigners.
Repubblika reiterates that it will support President Myriam Spiteri Debono in the realization of the vision she explained in her inaugural speech today.