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MALTATODAY 14 June 2020

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2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JUNE 2020 maltatoday One-month special delivery fee of just €1 per day for orders up to 5 newspaper per address To subscribe 1. Email us your choice of newspapers, recipient's name, address, contact number to production@millermalta.com 2. Forward cheques payabale to Miller Distributors Ltd to address: Miller House, Air- port Way, Tarxien Road, Luqa LQA1814 Queries on other newspapers and magazines, contact production@millermalta.com home delivery maltatoday Same-day delivery of your favourite Sunday newspaper Monday-Friday Sat Sunday MaltaToday Midweek €1 n/a MaltaToday on Sunday €1.95 BusinessToday €1.50 n/a ILLUM €1.25 The Malta Independent €1 €1 The Malta Independent on Sunday €1.95 Times of Malta €1 €1 Sunday Times of Malta €1.95 In-Nazzjon €1 €1 Il-Mument €1.20 l-Orizzont €1 €1 It-Torca €1.50 Daily Mail €2.40 €2.40 Mail on Sunday €3.30 Daily Mirror €2.50 €2.50 Sunday Mirror €2.70 The Sun €2.50 €2.50 Sun on Sunday €2.50 Daily Express €2.50 €2.50 Sunday Express €3.30 Daily Star €2.20 €2.20 Sunday Star €2.50 Daily Telegraph €4.50 €5.00 Sunday Telegraph €5.70 The Times €4.50 €5.00 The Sunday Times €5.70 Financial Times €3.70 €4.50 People €2.70 The Guardian €3.90 €4.60 The Observer €4.90 Support your favourite newspaper with a subscription https://bit.ly/2X9csmr Cases 646 Local 551 Active 36 Recoveries 601 Deaths 9 Swabs 80953 LATEST COVID-19 www.maltatoday.com.mt/covid19 NEWS MASSIMO COSTA THE Venice Commission has taken issue with part of the Mal- tese government's reforms on rule of law, in connection with the role of the State Advocate in the appointment of members of the judiciary. MaltaToday is informed that the Commission has reacted to the proposals submitted by the Maltese government to it in May, on plans for institutional changes related to the rule of law. In a report to Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, the Ven- ice Commission praised several of the proposals, including those on reforms in the appointment of the police chief. It however said that it had res- ervations on the position of the State Advocate in the Judicial Appointments Committee and the Commission for the Admin- istration of Justice. According to the proposals sent to the Commission, the State Advocate will replace the public prosecutor as a member on the Judicial Appointments Commit- tee (JAC). The JAC vets and selects can- didates for the bench who apply under a rolling public call, from inside and outside the judiciary. The Committee will also include two additional judges and a mag- istrate chosen by their peers. The Chief Justice will continue to preside over JAC but will also be given a casting vote in addition to his original vote. The JAC will propose the three most suitable candidates for ap- pointment directly to the Pres- ident, accompanied by detailed reports. The final choice of the judiciary will rest with the Pres- ident. But the Venice Commission has disagreed with the position the State Advocate, as the former Attorney General is now known, would have within the JAC. When it comes to the removal of judges or magistrates, it has also taken issue with the role the State Advocate would play in the Commission for the Administra- tion of Justice. Under the government's pro- posals, the State Advocate will replace the Attorney General on the Commission for the Admin- istration of Justice, which has the prerogative for judicial discipline, short of the removal of a member of the judiciary. Another issue the Venice Com- mission found was related to the role Parliament has in the remov- al of judges and magistrates. The proposals set out that the Commission for the Administra- tion of Justice would recommend that a member of the judiciary be removed by Parliament, with that said member having the right to an appeal in the Constitutional Court from such a recommenda- tion. The Venice Commission said that it did not agree that Parlia- ment be involved in this process. The Commission, however, oth- erwise praised the proposals for the method of appointment and discipline of members of the ju- diciary. The Venice Commission also confirmed the government's leg- islative concepts behind the pro- posals related to the Permanent Commission Against Corruption reform, persons of trust, perma- nent secretaries and the appoint- ment of the police commission- er. These, the Commission said, were steps in the right direction. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt Venice flags role of State Advocate In reply to Malta, CoE's Venice Commission praises reforms but f lags State Advocate's role The Venice Commission wants further concessions on the government's overweening influence on the judicial body through its State Advocate, Peter Grech

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