Heads of EU political groupings will on Thursday be meeting to request a debate at the European Parliament on the situation in Malta.

Sources in Brussels said that if the leaders agree to hold such a debate, this would likely take place in the coming weeks. Initial reactions to the holding o such a debate suggest the heads will agree to it, the sources said.

Similar debates were held at the European Parliament in 2017 following the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. At the time, the debates were about the state of the country's rule of law.

In recent days, Malta was again repeatedly in the spotlight as shocking revelations about the investigation into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continued to emerge.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff Keith Schembri resigned and hauled in for questioning by the police. He remains under arrest. A few hours later, former Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi resigned while his colleague Chris Cardona “suspended himself” following fallout from the murder investigation.

Mr Schembri was questioned following reports that businessman Yorgen Fenech, who has been arrested for the fourth time, had told investigators he had incriminating evidence about him.

Mr Fenech has also sought a pardon in exchange for information – in a similar way to murder middleman Melvin Theuma, who will be testifying before a magistrate on Friday morning.