Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1305625
Since being appointed as Minister for Justice, Equality and Governance, I committed myself to achieving concrete results and to enhancing Malta's reputation. From the very first days in office, together with the Prime Minister, we established a subcommittee focusing on good governance. The three pillars of my achievements are the following: 1. Constitutional and Institutional reforms 2. Reforms in the justice sector and in the fight against organised crimes and money laundering 3. Efficiency of the judicial system A historic milestone was achieved in the ap- pointment of Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti. For the first time in the judicial and political history of our country the Chief Justice was appointed through Parliamentary unanimity. This led to an unprecedented process of Constitutional and Institutional reforms. With the Prime Minister's trust and political will, I steered a process of amendments in Malta's Constitution. No other administration had the courage to make such extensive reforms in our modern democratic history. Following a successful 'structured dialogue' with the Venice Commission in June 2020, a favourable Opinion was made public by the same Commission of the European Council (Venice Commission). I immediately acted on that Opinion and translated the proposals into legislative texts. Within two weeks I presented 10 Bills, of which six are now Acts of Parliament and the others are in the process to become Laws in the com- ing weeks. The European Commission, the Council of Europe (Venice Commission) and the most influential political news agencies in Europe, all delivered excellent feedback regarding this work. The reforms focused on the following: CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS • The President of the Republic is to be elected by a minimum of 2/3rds of votes of the House of Representatives. • The Chief Justice is to be elected after a minimum of 2/3rds of vote from the House of Representatives. • New executive powers to the President of the Republic in the appointment of the Members of the Judiciary. • The Judges and Magistrates are to be appointed by the President of Malta fol- lowing a recommendation of the 3 most suitable candidates by the independent Judicial Appointments Committee • Important Constitutional amendments in the removal and discipline of Judges and Magistrates based on the principle that members of the Judiciary are to be judged by their own peers. • Parliament and politicians shall no longer be involved in these procedures. • This process shall now be steered by a subcommittee of the Commission for the Administration of Justice that is com- posed of three members of the Judicial Bench who are not members of the Com- mission for the Administration of Justice shall be elected from amongst judges and magistrates according to rules issued by the Commission for the Administration of Justice. • Security of tenure to the Attorney Gen- eral and the State of Advocate, as now the two Constitutional roles can only be removed from office by 2/3rds resolution of Parliament INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS • The strengthening of the Permanent Commission Against Corruption (PCAC) • New prosecutorial roles of serious crimes transferred from the Executive Police to the Attorney General • The PCAC, the Ombudsman, the Auditor General and the Commissioner for Stand- ards in Public Life, all now have the power to report corrupt practices. • The Permanent Secretaries of the Civil Service are to be chosen by the President of the Republic, acting upon the advice of the Public Service Commission • The Principal Permanent Secretary is now to be appointed by the President acting upon the advice of the Cabinet of Ministers and after consulting the Public Service Commission. • New rules regarding the role of persons of trust with quantitative and qualitative institutions. • The Prime Minister has now the obliga- tion to act upon the advice of the Cabinet of Ministers in various appointments of positions in the country's highest Institu- tions Constitutional and Institutional reforms