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The murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
Photo: DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / REUTERS
Former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has presented a political motive for the murder of a journalist as unfounded.
At the time of the attack in 2017, Daphne Caruana Galizia was about to become "irrelevant" to the government and opposition, Muscat said in a public hearing.
The 46-year-old politician himself came under so much pressure in connection with the murder that he was replaced as head of government in January 2020.
One of the questions being investigated is whether the government in Valletta had done enough to prevent the attack.
The blogger was blown up in her car on October 16, 2017.
She had also researched corruption in politics and business.
Muscat said in his questioning that Caruana Galizia did everything from "world-class journalism" to gossip.
"Whoever committed this crime is stupid," he said.
The murder case has not been fully resolved to this day.
Several proceedings are ongoing.
Three men were charged with murder.
In addition, the entrepreneur Yorgen Fenech was arrested in November 2019 as an alleged mastermind.
All deny the allegations.
Fenech said that a confidante of Muscat's had been behind the conspiracy.
The European Parliament announced at the beginning of October that it would like to name a new journalist prize after the murdered blogger.
This should be awarded to investigative reporter work.
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svv / dpa
