The European Parliament has today launched the call for submissions for entries to the fifth edition of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism. The prize is awarded annually around 16 October – the anniversary of assassination of the Maltese journalist, who was killed in 2017. The prize rewards “outstanding journalism that promotes or defends the core principles and values of the European Union, such as human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights”, a statement from the European Parliament reads. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said: “A free press is the best shield for democracy. Journalists must be free to report without fear of censorship, intimidation, or retaliation. The European Parliament will always defend and stand up for media and press freedom. The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism honours those who shine a light in the darkest corners — because speaking truth to power should never come with a price”. Metsola added: “The prize embodies European Parliament’s steadfast dedication to truth and free speech and belongs to every journalist who fights for the facts, no matter how uncomfortable they are. Journalistic freedom is what makes our democracy thrive”.