Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Monday defended his government’s handling of the murder in 2017 of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and called for national unity after days of protests.
Police on Saturday charged one country’s wealthiest businessmen, Yorgen Fenech, with complicity in the killing.
Mr Fenech has denied the accusations and accused members of Mr Muscat’s inner circle of ordering the death.
Mr Muscat announced on Sunday that he would step down next month, giving his Labour Party time to select a new leader.
Opposition politicians walked out of Parliament on Monday to protest against the delayed departure, hurling bundles of fake cash at the government benches as they left.
Outside the building, hundreds of protesters chanted “Mafia, mafia”.
Speaking to a half-empty house, Mr Muscat appeared relaxed, joking at times as he justified the investigation, which he said was Malta’s biggest.
“The case showed that Malta’s institutions work and everyone is equal before the law,” he said.
Mr Fenech has denied orchestrating Caruana Galizia's death, caused by a bomb in her car.
He sought legal immunity in return for revealing information about the murder plot and alleged corruption involving Mr Muscat’s former chief of staff Keith Schembri and former tourism minister Konrad Mizzi court filings showed.
The government has rejected his bid for immunity.
Mr Schembri and Mr Mizzi resigned last week and have denied wrongdoing. Mr Schembri was questioned for two days by police after his resignation before being released without charge.
Both men had been suing Caruana Galizia for libel over accusations she made about their business deals.
Critics are angry with Mr Muscat for sticking by Mr Schembri, and for including him in security briefings on the investigation even after Mr Fenech was identified as a suspect in the murder and as an associate of Mr Schembri.
“Muscat wants to manipulate the police investigation to save himself and his best friend Keith Schembri,” opposition leader Adrian Delia told Parliament.
“This is unacceptable for the opposition. We are walking out and will not participate in proceedings for as long as Joseph Muscat remains Prime Minister.”
Caruana Galizia’s family said Mr Muscat should have no further involvement in the case and petitioned a court to ensure he was excluded from further access to information.
“It’s completely intolerable and it’s absolutely disgraceful that he’s trying to hang on to power,” said Caruana Galizia’s sister, Corrine Vella.
Mr Muscat said he would handle only day-to-day administration until a new leader was chosen.
“We now need unity," he said. "Part of that is shouldering responsibility, not just for one’s own actions but also for possible shortcomings."
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Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
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Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
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Our legal columnist
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Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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League B:
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
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Install an air filter in your home.
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
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200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
