Former Malta Employers’ Association director general Joseph Farrugia has returned his Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour to the State, saying Yorgen Fenech’s acquittal has left him without faith in Malta’s republic.Lovin Malta received a copy of the letter Farrugia sent to President Myriam Spiteri Debono, in which he described the acquittal as the catalyst for a wider crisis of confidence in the country’s institutions.“I love my country to death, but I feel disconnected from it,” Farrugia wrote, adding that he could no longer say he was proud of the country. He said the medal represented more than recognition for his career, describing it as a lasting commitment of loyalty towards Malta.Farrugia received the honour in 2024 following almost 25 years at the helm of the Malta Employers’ Association. He has now decided to hand it back, while stressing that the decision was not a sign of disrespect towards the President.His letter strongly criticises what he sees as failures within Malta’s institutions and justice system, referring not only to the Daphne Caruana Galizia case but also to the murders of Karin Grech, Raymond Caruana, Sion Grech and Lassana Cisse. These are Farrugia’s assessments and allegations in explaining his decision.Farrugia also directly linked his decision to last month’s verdict acquitting Fenech of charges of complicity and conspiracy in Caruana Galizia’s murder. In one pointed reference to the jury’s 8-1 verdict, Farrugia wrote that the “jury” of his own conscience had reached its decision “eight to one”.Despite the deeply critical tone of his letter, Farrugia said he intends to continue working in Malta’s interests and acknowledged that there remains much that is good about the country.Farrugia is believed to be the first person to voluntarily return a Ġieħ ir-Repubblika honour, although others have previously refused honours offered to them.Photo: Clifton Fenech/DOI•