Parliament award the 2022 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism in a ceremony to be opened by President Metsola. The prize rewards outstanding journalism that promotes or defends EU core principles and values. Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President and Roberta METSOLA, EP President open the ceremony. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

ceremony

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

freedom of press and media (T)

PICIERNO, Pina (S&D, IT)

Daphne Caruana Galizia prize for journalism (T)

president's agenda

Award Ceremony of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism 2022: Welcome by Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President and opening speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

SOUNDBITE (English), Pina PICIERNO, EP Vice-president, .

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&amp;D, IT), EP Vice-President, Good evening. A warm welcome to the awards ceremony for the Daphne Caruana that it's the prise for journalism. Five years have passed since the barbaric assassination of the journalist and activist who gave her name to this prise and indeed also to the press room where we're meeting today.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, Until that tragic afternoon on October 16, 2017, when this dreadful attack on Daphne occurred. Up until then and since then, the struggle for justice has continued. And we've seen dramatic developments over the last few days with the start of the first criminal case related to this. But there are still a long, long way to go.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, Daphne's words and her life, which this parliament wished to honour also through the prise that we're awarding today has really proved a constant lodestone, calling us to action. Daphne Caruana, glitzier, fought alone in solitude, and that really calls upon all of us to reflect upon Europe's institutions and upon its shortcomings, she struggled against corruption and both during her life and since her death, she suffered from being maligned in the press. And yet that nonetheless did not limit the impact of her work, not limit the vigour of her investigations, her sacrifice for justice and for truth is an invaluable heritage for all of Europe and for all Europeans.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, And that legacy challenges us to fight all out against mafia, against criminal systems every day. in our various spheres of responsibility. We must prove that we are worthy of Daphne's sacrifice of her story and her bravery. Speaking the truth is vital. Speaking the truth and tell the truth. Even if your voice is shaking, that perhaps expresses best who Daphne was.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, And you need to be brave even when you are afraid. You need to be strong despite your weaknesses. in this new Europe that is coming into being day in and day out. The name of Daphne Caruana Galizia is one of the key foundations of this new Europe and this award ceremony and this prise is symbolic and emblematic of this parliament's commitment to ensuring that journalists do not have to choose between their own profession and between being able to live and work and remain intact and survive.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, Journalists like Daphne Caruana, glitzier, have been attacked and have been killed in carrying out their jobs. This is the second round of this prise. It's become increasingly important since it was launched. It has a European during, as you can see, all of the remarkable work that has been submitted to this. We have 11 on the short list and some of those on the short list are here with us. I would like to welcome them very warmly. A warm welcome to all of you. Thank you for being here with us.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, The Pegasus project, as you know, won the first award and they were supposed to be with us here today to announce the award winner of this year's prise there, unable to be with us here today because one of their colleagues was assassinated two days ago. in Colombia. Rafael Moreno was his name. And that once again bears witness to the tragic realities that confront journalism internationally. And this tragic news makes this award ceremony all the more necessary and all the more significant and urgent.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, it's more than simply about awarding the Prize. It's also a tribute, a tribute to D. C. Galizia And all those who are committed to continuing her invaluable work. That sends out a clear and tangible signal from the European Parliament to all of you, to all journalists.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Pina PICIERNO (S&D, IT), EP Vice-President, We must support your struggle for free and pluralistic information. That is a struggle that we all share, one which this Parliament supports. I would like to welcome Roberta Metsola, president of this parliament, to open the award ceremony officially. Thank you,

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Grazia Tina. Thank you, Pina. Dear Matthew, Dear Corinne, dear laureates and finalists of the D. C. Galizia. Valid surprise for journalism. Dear Vice Presidents, dear leaders of the political groups and their representatives. Five years ago, Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated for exposing corruption and organised crime. They thought that this would silence her. But if Daphne's revelations reverberated throughout the country, her death caused an earthquake that shook the foundations of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I am proud that the European Parliament has spearheaded the calls for justice, for respect of the rule of law and for media freedom. For the last half a decade, we have stood with Daphne's parents, sisters and children. Matthew Corrinne, we continue to stand with you. We have legislated. We have demanded answers. We have scrutinised because Daphne Caruana Galizia was an extraordinary journalist and a fierce fighter for democracy throughout her life.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And in all the investigative stories that she worked on, she had one underly principle to do her duty, not what benefited her, not what was convenient, not what people wanted to hear. but what was right, what was necessary. That is the basic principle that drives people like Daphne duty, the search for truth so that what is wrong can be exposed, stopped and fixed. And so Dona Daphne and all that she stood for.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We are gathered here today to award the prise bearing her name for outstanding journalistic work guided by the very same values that she stood and fought for. Allow me to thank Vice-President for her work on this initiative. Special thanks also to First Vice-President Othmar Karas, member of the European Parliament, David Casa, for their efforts in establishing this award in this House. It is no coincidence that this room that we find ourselves here today is named after Daphne Caruana Galizia

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, In the European Parliament in Brussels. It is no coincidence that we have the Anna Politkovskaya pressroom, a tribute to a Russian journalist and human rights activist who was also assassinated for doing her job to press room's united in a single message. Journalists must never be a target. Their fight for the truth should never be conditional. Their voice should never be silenced. With a definite surprise for journalism, the European Parliament is sending a strong message that we will always stand by the side of truth seekers on the side of justice of independent journalism.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Today, we reaffirm this commitment not only to journalists present in this press room, but to all media professionals who are facing threats designed to influence their work. Because we know that the freedom of journalists to be able to do their jobs cannot be uncoupled from the protection of our democracy. We are talking about two sides of the same coin protecting journalists. Protecting the truth, means protecting our way of life, and especially in these dangerous and uncertain times, supporting the free media means supporting democracy itself.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And now it is my pleasure to welcome the general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists and representatives of the jury, Anthony Bellanger, to announce the winner of the 2022 Daphnia Caruana Prize for journalism.