Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1508764
10 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 OCTOBER 2023 ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSAL UNDER European Social Fund+ 2021-2027 The Ministry responsible for European Funds would like to announce that it is launching a call for project proposals under the Priority and Specific Objectives listed below. Priority 3 - Quality and inclusive education and enhanced lifelong learning for growth. § Specific Objective: 4.6 – Quality and inclusive education and training systems. § Specific Objective: 4.7 – Lifelong learning and career transitions. The call will close on 31 st October 2023 at noon. The online application form for the submission of project proposals and supporting documentation are available on https://fondi.eu/what-funding-is-available/. Prospective Applicants are encouraged to refer to the European Social Fund+ Programme and the Eligibility Guidance Notes in order to check whether their proposals are eligible for funding through this call for project proposals. Further information on this call and on the European Structural and Investment Funds may be obtained from https://fondi.eu/. Any query should be sent by email on fondi.eu@gov.mt. A dedicated information session is being organized on Thursday, 12 th October 2023 from 10:00 till 13:00 at the offices of Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta – 280, Republic Street, Valletta. For further details kindly visit the website indicated above where all the call related documentation is available. New specialised magistrates a positive step but still not enough, lawyers say KARL AZZOPARDI THE appointment of four new magistrates to focus entirely on inquiries is a positive step for- ward, but still the beginning of what should be a wider reform of the system, prominent lawyers have said. "It is the start of the journey, and we are just in the beginning. We have to monitor the system, and we have to continue tweak- ing towards taking it where we need it to go," lawyer and Uni- versity of Malta's Criminal law Head of Department Stefano Fil- letti said. Last week, Justice Minister Jon- athan Attard announced govern- ment will be issuing a call for ap- plications aimed at selecting new magistrates. Figures tabled in parliament last April show there are near- ly 1,700 magisterial inquiries which remain pending in Mal- tese law courts. The issue of prolonged mag- isterial inquiries which stretch for years, and in certain cases decades, has been a constant criticism of the Maltese judicial system. The drive to introduce magistrates focusing solely on inquiries has long been promised and comes after evidence of the legal system heaving under the burden of unfinished inquiries. Criminal lawyer Franco Debono, back then an MP on the Nationalist government bench- es, had first proposed to have magistrates focused solely on in- quiries in 2008. Reacting to the minister's an- nouncement, Debono said such a move is important for two rea- sons – to have truly independent magistrates, and to improve effi- ciency. "It is from the police that mag- istrates' courts should be espe- cially independent and that's why this is a huge improvement in our system," he told this news- paper. "Having a magistrate in- vestigate with the police, and then having to judge cases where the police are a party in the pro- ceedings is not a desirable situ- ation." Debono said specialised mag- istrates help raise standards and improve efficiency. Désirée Attard who specialises in family and human rights law, said this is a positive step for- ward, but still not enough. "The system is old, and we are moving forward, but not fast enough," she said. "We need to digitise; we need to have magis- trates who specialise on certain types of cases." "We need magistrates who are experts in the cases they are cov- ering. It does not make sense to have a magistrate who special- ises in economic crime, preside over a case concerning a domes- tic dispute," she said. She agreed with Debono that focused training for magistrates, who oversee certain types of cas- es, would help streamline the court system. Filletti said it is a step in the right direction, because the "sta- tus quo is clearly not working", but took a more cautious ap- proach, saying one must see how such a reform will pan out. "We have never had something like this in our judicial system, and while it is a positive step in the right direction it is difficult to determine what will happen," he said. He stated the reform should be constantly monitored and tweaked, insisting it should not be rushed. "We also have to keep in mind that this is justice we are speak- ing about, and it should be done properly," he said. "Whether it will be successful, it remains to be seen." Desiree Attard Franco Debono Stefano Filletti