Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527188
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS Expression of Interest For more info visit micas.art/get-involved or contact people@micas.art micas.art Closing at noon on Friday 11 th October 2024 Manager (Precincts & Security) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The minister was speaking to MaltaToday ahead of the new judicial year's opening this week. The opening ceremony is char- acterised by the annual speech delivered by the Chief Justice. "As a ministry, we followed up on the Chief Justice's ap- peal because we believe there is a missing link when a person feels aggrieved by an ethical shortcoming of a magistrate or a judge," Attard said. His ministry has conducted an in-depth analysis of the current situation and explored various methods to introduce greater accountability. But while thank- ing the Association of Judges and Magistrates for what he de- scribed as their "willingness and cooperation" to engage on the reforms, he refrained from dis- closing the specifics of the dis- cussions. "The reforms will ensure all ju- dicial members adhere to their constitutional obligations and maintain high ethical standards, while also fostering public trust in the system," the minister said. "To this end, in the coming days, we will present a Bill to the Cabinet aimed at creating a new role to strengthen disciplinary procedures before the Commis- sion for the Administration of Justice and uphold the standards expected of the judiciary," At- tard said. The reform will require a change in the Constitution and the minister expressed hope consensus will be reached with the Opposition. Reforming how chief justice is appointed But other reforms will also be addressed, such as the appoint- ment of the Chief Justice, the streamlining of the process for lawyers and legal procurators' warrants and other procedural measures. In its annual Rule of Law re- view, the European Commission has been suggesting, among oth- er things, the involvement of the judiciary in the appointment of the Chief Justice. "We will propose several amendments that will, among other things, address the rec- ommendations put forward by the European Commission in the Rule of Law report. We hope that, following dialogue with the Opposition, we will be able to move forward with consensus on the amendments," the minis- ter told MaltaToday. Attard said the government was also engaged in ongoing discussions with the Chamber of Advocates regarding the Law- yers Act. "We want to elevate the profes- sion and ensure that it is regulat- ed in a manner that guarantees a high standard of representation," Attard said, adding he looked forward to bringing this reform to fruition in collaboration with the Chamber of Advocates. €10m tender for court IT system Addressing another of the Eu- ropean Commission's observa- tions that digitalisation of the justice system still needs 'sub- stantial improvement', the min- ister said that just a few days ago a tender with an estimated cost of over €10 million was issued for the creation of a new Court Management Information Sys- tem. "This project, which bene- fits from EU funding, is aimed at digitising the Court process thus maximising the Court Ser- vices Agency's resources," At- tard said. Asked about delays in court proceedings and hearings that start well beyond the allocated time, Attard said a collective ef- fort is needed to address these challenges. "The government must contin- ue to invest in human resources and infrastructure while reform- ing processes through legislative changes," he said, noting that the unprecedented expenditure in the justice sector has resulted in the largest judiciary in Malta's history. The court system has a staff complement of 550 people, which includes almost 90 law- yers serving as Court Attorneys and Judicial Assistants. Attard said this investment will not only be sustained but also "en- hanced". "We aim to strengthen special- isation within our courts. Earlier this year, we appointed four ad- ditional magistrates, and follow- ing discussions with the Chief Justice, we established a dedi- Government to propose creation of Jonathan Attard