i have mounted my city's days full centuries and accompanied my country through its finest hour. until the day i mean. not down to. you know more you talk about murderers being protected i was can you very simply who's protecting them one more time. i keep on saying. i will keep on pushing for all the truth come out after the murder of the prominent multi-use journalist daphne carolina. motel itself has become a byword for violence and corruption my guest this week here in munich is the country's foreign minister everest bartolo he says he wants to improve malta's tarnished image but how many more secrets have to come out before that will be

possible. ever aspire tolo welcome to conflict thank you you've made it clear that in the wake of the murder of stephany corona and all the corruption scandals that have followed that malta needs to rebuild its reputation that isn't going to happen until their body starts telling the truth is that i agree and the fact when i was appointed for and i 1st minister because they told me to go ahead and see what you can do i made that very clear not a beautician or a plastic surgeon over there are a glib things which have to be dealt with they have to be dealt with in malta contents of reality are not of the presentation of reality where we're getting to possibly what some of those dirty things are but i'm curious why former ministers like you supported a government that you knew was rotten to the core. well when things started coming

out of the time of the panama paper to of course to succeed i made it very clear that was unacceptable. but you say well i stayed on. i had the choice. i admire savonarola but they had. more i had to i had the survival strategy where i could fight another but there we used that experience to get there with got to do with of the party at the time and now he's in the democratic party to negotiate things to make the government more accountable but your collective silence over the years helped cement in power a government that became a byword for corruption with conflicts of interest multiplying in the prime minister's office and the rule of law or seriously undermined and you went along with the by staying in the government. they have said recently that perhaps.

it would have been wiser to resign in 2016 as a pressure to change things i acknowledge that but i have spoken even of that over the last 4 years against what you have just said it is a big question of a lot of. moving i will get on to say that i don't think it was very very i don't think of if you were to live in a small society like malta you know the the way i spoke and what i said was very very clear o.c. c.r.p. the highly respected organized crime and corruption reporting project i'm sure you know it they named joseph muscat person of the year for 2019 an annual award that highlights an individual who has done most to advanced organized criminal activity and corruption in a given year it's pretty shameful for ward to the man you worked for isn't that he has made it clear to him even in 2016 that the tours going to be in his interest to take the necessary steps against those people in government who are involved with

the money part of the papers and he didn't pay the huge price for it so how do you feel he deserves the award. and i think i made this very clear to him that it was in his interest for a person to have contributed so much to economic growth to the introduction of civil liberties in malta and then to have his record painted with that weather doesn't excuse him for what he did later doesn't know just because the economy was booming you know of course murder and corruption were also in rooming and had to have made it also very clear that economic growth shouldn't come at any expense we should have a can on the growth with rule of law and with clean government o.c. c.r.p. said that on the muskrats leadership criminality and corruption have flourished and in many cases gone unpunished creating an environment that led to the 27000 murder of doesn't occur on the goalie if they knew that the same message was coming from other international watchdogs you had to know what was going on yourself delusion.

not completely and then when i go to and i'm not trying to get away from this. first of all one of the big problems that we have and again i'm not trying to explain it away is that in our small society. personal networks personal relations are stronger than institutional once and at the expense of the public. because unfortunately the rule of family or do all of friends is stronger than the rule of law and this is an issue that we have to deal with and of come to a point now that we cannot delay taking all the necessary steps and more. so that's an outrageous assertion doesn't it minister say the personal relationships are worth more than the rule of law but if you were in government what's worth more than the rule of law yes but in the small societies i'm saying and i again i'm not trying to excuse and the small island states like malta microstates which are not

as the size of munich but one 3rd of its population. it is true that when you look at the primary groups of friends and family and then the 2nd the groups or institutions should come in the 1st group and the 2nd group it's very porous there's no boundary between one and the other thing is that in our society this it is a tougher more formidable challenge to make sure that there is the rule of law that there are rules that there are regulators who serve in government are expected to accept that challenge and really they really are they are. one of the things you limited was that you didn't take a stronger stand in 2016 against at least one of those minister friends of the former prime minister conrad mitzi who'd been named in the panama papers your biggest political mistake you called it even so your behavior was inexplicable wasn't it you called publicly from it says resignation but you refused to endorse the parliamentary vote of no confidence against him or because the way the motion

had been framed and then the amendments that were put to death made it possible for us to hold the government to my government to introduce measures to increase accountability there but in the end you helped to keep in office a man whose behavior in your own view had been shot the a new adequate might enjoy old my single vote to have made a difference had every was going to vote makes a difference on the bottom but not doesn't it not but not in that case with you where you have suppose you started another good you didn't stand for your prince i agree with you but i tried to use that to negotiate measures to hold the government to account now when it happened when the city was impossible. well some measure started coming in but then when this time the news started coming after november i made it very clear that i was going to resign and they said i did they go or i go and they made enough pressure for them to go. but the fact is that your silence and

your continued support of the former prime minister made you and your colleagues complicit in this dysfunctional corrupt system i tried to use internal pressure to get things done this time in november i told you remain i want only any p. code part of this swamp of corruption and financial curb. i try to do my bit better they haven't done enough but i am committed to do all i can to because this is a very important time for us it's a moment of truth i would call it an existential crossroads since our independence 55 years ago we either get our house in order or we i think threaten our sovereignty and our level over the mortar but there's been so many warnings like that before have and then they were ignored in 2017 your own chief justice silvio comey larry warned that instead of the rule of law malta was heading to what he called the rule of delinquents now that was enough to change anybody's mind then

wasn't warning in stark sharp terms like there. would be when when things start to become more clear for us because you might think that i'm trying to get away from what you're telling me but. it's only recently that things became so clear to us what was happening i know that even in 2016 they warned that there was a shadow government and the network of decision makers that were that were influencing what has happened but you didn't name names did you might think it was clear who was referring really it wasn't how it's all going to 63 they think it was their unit leave given that the same people were still in government and still are part of the establishment. i made internal pressure and i didn't manage to get them committed to concede that the whole system was in fact set up to to bypass independent scrutiny and prevent any kind of accountability wasn't it i mean the pit the prime minister's office for instance took over responsibility for areas

that presented particular opportunities for money laundering online gaming investment migration regulation of financial services it was clear that it was these areas were drowning in corruption and by the getting the prime minister involved directly in them was keeping the regulators at bay wasn't it but i'm not changing i'm not i don't agree that all these activities in all these different economic sectors are rotten and corrupt there are definitely parts which are and where one of the problems i think that we have had. irrespective of the share of human nature with designers the that there is when you have such strong economic growth and the regulators are not given enough resources or intentionally. there were certain instances kills the intention to a certain extent yes but not all of them either but for example when it comes to

financial investigations that have been given a lot of resources i think the biggest problem that we have and the weakest weakest link in the chain is the economic crimes unit of the police and unless that is beefed up and really resourced to it well qualified people of integrity this problem will remain because ultimately we're going to be judged on how many people are prosecuted not what i'm telling you now or what we see in ground in ground that's really difficult when the judges and magistrates were appointed by the prime minister was that were the case in the system described by the council of europe's parliamentary assembly as incompatible with judicial independence and the rule of law but i think this is not fair in this case for a very simple reason it does is government the appointment of magistrate turned the judges have been more independent of the executive arm of government than ever before before the prime minister had talked to jurisdiction no it's not like that anymore there is a judicial appointment committee and we are intent definitely on taking the steps

that the venice commission has indicated you once used to do so for non but we have started that i don't use it even in the last 30 that differ in the last week even sorry even in the last month apart from the last week sets have been taken for side implementing those recommendations under dinu prime minister in may 26th. when you said things were fine. they plainly weren't were they you said the government had already started in 2016 to introduce a culture of better political responsibility and transparency that wasn't true will you know it all strong those were the measures that i thought you about 3 years later the council of europe reported that major scandals were rising going unreported and uninvestigated for the 1st time we have we have introduced this is the contradiction of this government and of the most corrupt government as well for the 1st time we introduced measures to hold government to account that had never

been introduced before now where they were they were they weren't working going off but why give them away give them a free pass say a culture of better political responsibility and transparency has been introduced then we have the palomar papers the electro gas the further hilman the further vittles global health care for the golden passport all all time again featuring the same key figures close to the prime minister and the police and several instances mysteriously failing to act and none of that was serious enough for you to say you've crossed my red lines you've crossed the many many times i did see it entirely. and they repeated the weakest link was and still remains even now and we have to act about the economic crimes it because it's not enough to name people it's not enough to investigate them then you need to prosecute just about although you know much much more than you are telling. more than you've ever told you

no names you know places you know where the bodies are buried don't you. have you taken a vow of silence no i have it and if you are you afraid for your own live one of them you seen what happens to people no tell the truth and you know that you know very similar that if there is anyone who has not taken a vow of silence is me because i have spoken up i have spoken up time and taken her to dance around the subject you make cryptic comments like justice can be served without fear or favor without burning this country to cinders and without burning or hurting those who want justice done what i know personally and it's not critical to the earth does it mean who is it addressed was addressed to my government but then they pulled enough pressure for their change to happen you also their own facebook the country cannot protect murderers money launderers and other criminals justice has to be done and there was really wasn't the country protecting these

people was it was your fellow politicians and loyal servants like you were either turning a blind eye or actively perverting the course of justice and pushing for that to happen it still has to happen and pushing for that to happen just about all who exactly was and is protecting murderers in malta who 1st of all when it comes to the assassination of the cabinet a little we have. a judicial process going gone now because the alleged killers have been brought to justice but you know more than this don't you you know more than this i know more than this you know more you talk about murderers being protected i'm asking you very simply who's protecting them on malta who i keep on saying when i will keep on pushing for all the truth to come out but you're not answering my question i'm asking you one cannot give you not have no course not to bring as if because of their names why don't generate

a police if there are investigations i can assure you that i'm doing my duty and my only beings are the police. i'm doing my duty i don't know what that means because you kept a 1000000 as i will who was clearly more corrupt than he should have been hugely so i will i will keep on pushing for all the truth to come out and they will stake my reputation on that how do we know that when you won't you know judge you sit in front of the camera and you won't tell me what you want to be judged you will be judged by what happens but it's this is exactly this climate of silence and these networks of criminal corruption that created a permissive environment and allowed someone to believe they could get away with the killing of dufner corona girly and silence free journalism they have been long but they haven't got away with it they haven't come here with it we have had political assassinations before and no one was brought to justice at least in this case we've started doing these things this isn't the end of as story no it's not

the end of the story and it cannot be the end of the story did all the troops it's uncovered and by that by admitting that it isn't the end of the story you know that the story goes further and you know that this network that arranged for her assassination hasn't come to light yet has it but this won't has we have to keep on pushing for all the truth of the own father. we only have your word that you'll do that and with that we'll do it it will happen to have the commitment of the prime minister of israel and the minister for the interior who has started taking a courageous decision but this investigation was tainted from the start for them to do this and so no law some of the council of europe warn that a series of magistrate should have been taken off the case because of publics of interest likewise the investigating police officer force claims that sayed said were made by the minister of the interior about progress in the investigation if that's not an investigation tainted with on its own because it did give results and

11 important point in all this is that there are other services involved including the report so even if there are elements who want to cover up that information is available to the force beyond malta so that there's a good guarantee that the whole truth will come out that's the kerala gilead. didn't have much that was nice to say but you did see. december 26th in she wrote the tolo were decent and honest would be of stuck with the labor party since the 1970 is of course not decent and honest people left in droves when they saw what was going on she's right isn't she and no i don't think so and i don't agree with her comment i respect what she has this done but i think she was very prettiest against him and if you were decent would have allowed himself to be part of muskets power hungry bandwagon because if i and others worked it out from the outside he had to have known it from the inside that they were planning corrupt deals and i

don't agree with him because i did in my own little way and i'm not trying to kill . put myself in the in the role of a knight in the change in government in my own little way i did what i could to train change things since i've entered politics and these problems that she's writing about she didn't try clegg and the other party was in government i have tried to bring about changes in my own lives to look at anyone just corrupt as you're aware that is a idea but i beg to differ i beg to differ. she reported what she saw in front of she reported what she saw going on in malta the time she will yes but the way should try to. before that i think is unfair and the baton but it's just about all if you want malta's reputation response a you're going to have to prove that this new government is better than the last one so for the sides are so far the signs are good no i don't think it's the other

car on the girlie that has sent the son of death he says must go there's still the power behind the throne with huge networks of influence and fanatical support in the label murty no i don't agree with matthew and the steps that have been taken during this month shows that there is a new good will to get things done really look no further than given and within themselves and his family have been happy with the person who has been investigating the death of their of their money people that they did not they did not say the investigator was most corrupt so i didn't say i didn't say they did but look no further than the man with the new justice portfolio edward zammit described as a family friend of the muskets used to go on holiday with them but i can tell you again that the new subs are have been taken in the last month shows that there is a new good will we will be judged not repeat not but what we are saying now but what will happen in the next weeks and in the next month it really doesn't look very much like it when the contracts of the government awarded

a contract to the disgraced former minister conrad mitzi the man you wanted to resign after he was named in the panama paper he was offered a job as tourism consultant on $80000.00 euros a year which had to be cancelled rapidly after a huge public and i just want to know you say this government handout is at a loss can sit your council also through public no pressure no i don't agree but why was he given a 2nd contract in the 1st place he was supposed to be a legal grudge a new broom sweeping up the corruption you bring in the one of the most had. please tell me that contact was done before before the change enough that that wasn't a contract signed by 100 new prime minister and without public pressure he would have kept you know not you totally disagree and they know what i'm telling you there was a lot of internal pressure and the board through the minister if you want a better reputation for malta a lot of people are going to have to tell the truth about the corruption the murder

and we've been pretty far from that aren't we especially given the continue attacks we're seeing on free journalism in malta but what you've actually taught journalism about the way if you allow them know what their decks are for nuclear watchdog reporters without borders spoke last october of a hostile environment for independent. you're shaking your head at the australian version for the development journalists in malta and the prevalence of lawsuits to silence public interest reporting they don't know what they're talking about you know nowhere in the sense that i'm not saying that they don't know what they're talking but again you might find that this is contradictory but it's true we have liberalized freedom of the press and loss of tribute to the press in the last 7 years we have decriminalized libel cases they are referring to a number of cases but to show to give the impression that that is rampant and that journalism in malta is in is in jeopardy or a risk is not fair malta is if you are in need for

a low if you are twaddle or what our journalists strike and it's very robust and very strong criticism of what goes on more to it says is unique among e.u. countries for having extensive political control of the news media the 2 main political parties own their own t.v. and radio stations as well as both the daily and weekly print media and online portals and the international center for press and media freedoms at the worst risk for malta was a lack of political independence in the media haywood again defend their reality of a microstate where you either have certain excuse not just because he's missed trying to explain because whole how can you have a small newspaper which is viable a mortar it's a there you either have a political party doing it or you have the state doing good business organizations don't find viable to have a media so on asli it is a big challenge to try and understand how to have a media system in malta which is part of the checks and balances in

a democratic society but i repeat that is coming out of the reality of our microstate and it's not only water that has this perhaps the most unpleasant aspect of your party has been its attempts to dehumanize stuff and occur on the glitzier not just while she was alive but after her murder. an undercover investigation into secret restricted labor party hate groups online published by the digital paper the shift showed labor party supporters celebrating her killing within hours of the crime being committed the journalist was described in the facebook post as an evil witch who should burn in hell are you proud of this part of your definitely not and that still clearly an acceptable and they made it very clear that it was thought to lyrics of the ventile and acceptable and i hope and i'm at least happy that in the last month even the national monument to where there is

a memorial to her has not been disturbed at all and they really hope that nearer the solution so i'm worried that they want to sell it as a crazy novel model not to celebrate them saying that at least that is happening and they really hope that very nearby there would be a monument to her for what they were that she did the part that should be a devolved investigate who investigating corruption these facebook groups were actually administered by and home to senior government and labor party officials at one point the prime minister himself former prime minister was part of it what does that tell you about your beloved global pirtle that part i don't like and it's part of the local political culture which is not nice of the little by little culture to celebrate her assassination calling her relatives a family of animals and completely unacceptable but there are fortunately it's part of the terminology sometimes a local political culture which if something was used because the labor party supporters as red you don't have all the way to deal to get a new reputation with all this behind you have done to remove his i said you have

to change change is painful but it would be more painful if we don't change every spatola thanks very much for being employed culprits thank you.

s.o.s. europe the european idea is in crisis. if it's to have a future challenge honest young champions meet foreign journalists for a country. they are fighting for the train for the base stand a chance to play safe in european night. 15 minutes on d w. public

. diplomat merge st wait a 2nd we want the whole. picture facts instead of make ideas shift deliver us. from a computer reality to cryptocurrency to your topics for live in an ever changing digital world let's talk a little devise a shame. if each any surprises. coming all out. one day in the footsteps of the great we've. endured. the fleet street. for

a time you want to still very much alive. you got to specialise in germany. where exactly. are the laws our culture history in. detail travel extremely. these things human race destroying itself. we are ruining the basic elements of our existence we're using too much water and we're polluting. her life. to go among our supplies will last for ever but they won't. when the rains come. starts march 20th on w. .

player. play. this is news coming to you live from the united states banished nearly all travel from europe to fight the spread of the coronavirus president blames new infections in the u.s. for the lack of action in europe restrictions will remain in force for 30 days also on the program italy orders non-essential shops to stay closed after unprecedented limits on travel and public gatherings public prime minister just up because he says the country has to take one more step to fight the credible.