Daphne Caruana Galizia

There seems to be a marked reluctance on the part of the Maltese government to actually investigate this case.

From Malta Failed to Investigate Journalist's Murder. Why?

Its banks, with questionable vetting to ensure against money laundering, have become a back door into the European banking system. Its “golden passport” program lets wealthy individuals invest in Malta in exchange for citizenship—and visa-free travel and work across the bloc. Malta is a grim example of how a European country has fallen dramatically short on the rule of law. It is also a prime example of the failure of EU institutions to do much about that.

Malta is apparently an independent country, since 1964, and it has/had Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. See Che Guevara On Sovereignty and Imperialism and Bilderberg 2019.