Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535324
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 WEDNESDAY • 14 MAY 2025 • ISSUE 940 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt 2,400 reports of suspected illegal works in 2024 CONTINUES ON PAGE 4 Government proposes new standards czar for judiciary JUSTICE Minister Jonathan Attard has tabled a consti- tutional reform bill that will increase the retirement age for judges and magistrates, while introducing a new standards commissioner tasked with overseeing judi- cial conduct. Attard tabled the bill in parliament on Tuesday. These amendments usually require a two-thirds major- ity. While the motion contains no public details, govern- ment sources told MaltaTo- day that the bill will increase the age of retirement for judges and magistrates to 70 years old while introducing a commissioner for stand- ards of the judiciary. The same sources also told MaltaToday that the gov- ernment has already met with the opposition to make sure the bill gets the two- thirds support needed. In October 2023, Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti had proposed a structure for the monitoring and internal dis- cipline of the judiciary dur- ing his speech at the start of the sena forensi. He proposed an internal standards watchdog to con- stantly scrutinise and mon- itor the behaviour and com- portment standard of the judiciary. The Constitution already empowers the chief justice to send misbehaving mem- bers of the judiciary before the Commission for the Ad- ministration of Justice. But to do so, the chief justice must be armed with facts which have been confirmed independently and objec- tively. Chetcuti also said that the chief justice should also be subject to this over- sight. Last September, the justice minister said in an interview with MaltaToday that he will be presenting a bill to Cabinet to strengthen disci- plinary procedures. His ministry had analysed the situation in the judiciary and explored ways to intro- duce greater accountability. He said the Association of Judges and Magistrates were willing to engage on the re- forms and cooperated as such. Variable interest rate of 2.80% * Low contribution Low collateral requirements *Business Lending Bank Base Rate presently at 2.15%, Interest Margin and EIF Guarantee Fee. The BOV SME Grow and the BOV SME Grow Green are funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund with the financial backing of the Republic of Malta under the InvestEU Member State Compartment for Malta. All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, il-Belt Valletta, VLT 1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company regulated by the MFSA and is licenced to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the laws of Malta). Grow green BOV SME Supporting Your Vision CONTACT US Planning Authority's annual report laments that increase in applications for recreational uses in the countryside adding pressure A constitutional reform bill tabled in parliament will raise the retirement age for members of the judiciary and establish an internal watchdog to monitor judges and magistrates THE Planning Authority received 2,411 reports alleging illegal development in 2024, half of which resulted in confirmed breaches, according to the annual report. The number of reports was similar to that received in 2023 despite the PA's de- cision to stop accepting anonymous re- ports. This emerges from the authority's an- nual report for 2024, which has just been published. Significantly, the report also re- fers to an increase in applications for 'rec- reational' uses in the countryside, a trend which intensified after the pandemic. The report also reveals that in 2024 the authority started requesting complainants to provide their contact details. MAKSAR GANG TRIAL: 'YOU DON'T SAY NO TO THE MAKSAR BROTHERS' pg. 8