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ANALYSIS
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 JANUARY 2025
KURT
SANSONE
ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt
MAGISTERIAL
INQUIRIES
WHEN LABOUR ACCUSED THE PN
GOVERNMENT OF FASCIST TACTICS
ROBERT ABELA'S ATTEMPT TO CHANGE THE WAY MAGISTERIAL INQUIRIES CAN BE REQUESTED
BY ORDINARY CITIZENS IS A CASE OF HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE
ACTORS HAVE SWAPPED PLACES. MALTATODAY REVIEWS THE PARLIAMENTARY TRANSCRIPTS
FROM 2006 TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT.
HISTORY has a way of repeating it-
self with different actors. The gov-
ernment's latest attempt to change
the way magisterial inquiries can be
requested by ordinary citizens is one
such instance.
Let us try and picture the scene –
MPs sitting on the purple seats of the
old chamber of parliament inside the
Grand Master's Palace in Valletta in
2006. The following statements echo
loudly in the chamber amid thumping
on the wooden benches: 'You are fas-
cists; cowards; you should be ashamed;
we're back to the Mussolini era; this is
a frontal attack on magistrates; a vote
of no confidence in magistrates and or-
dinary citizens.'
These strong words are uttered by
Labour MPs after justice minister To-
nio Borg presents a Bill that includes
a proposal to change the manner by
which magisterial inquiries requested
by ordinary citizens can be initiated.
The proposed change is included in
an omnibus Bill that contains several
legal amendments to various laws, in-
cluding laws that have to do with drugs
and prostitution.
The PL is in Opposition and the PN
in government.
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