Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537666
IN a world full of uncertain- ty, environmental crises, and economic instability, we often hear that small countries are too limited to lead. Yet, Malta continues to prove otherwise. This month, Malta climbed 12 places in the UN Sustaina- ble Development Report, now ranking 24th out of 167 coun- tries. With a national score of 79.3% we are closing the gap with the highest-performing nations globally, including Fin- land at 87%. More than a welcome statis- tic, this is an endorsement of Malta's national vision—one being realised through invest- ment, collaboration, and fo- cused political will. It is proof that change is possible, and that Malta is capable of more than many give it credit for. Let's be clear—sustainable de- velopment is easy to agree with in theory. The real test lies in making it happen, especially in a country like ours, where re- sources are limited, population density is high, and geography adds persistent pressure. Our work is translating vision into outcomes. Progress in the sustainable development index is the result of policies that are designed to deliver, and gov- ernance that prioritises people and the environment. Our rise in the rankings is a national achievement, one that belongs to everyone working together towards a common goal. It reflects improvements across the board; a 5.8% year- on-year increase in photovolta- ic energy production. It reflects tangible progress in water quality, infrastructure, conser- vation, continued investment in waste management and the circular economy, where waste is treated as a resource rath- er than a burden. Universal healthcare coverage and en- hanced digital health systems. Higher enrolment in tertiary education and improved digital literacy. These milestones represent five of the 17 Sustainable De- velopment Goals (SDGs). They are proof that we are putting policy into practice. And as minister, I take pride not only in these results, but also in the mindset shift toward resilience, equity and long-term planning. Sustainability is a responsi- bility that Malta is taking se- riously. We are not immune to rising temperatures, energy shocks, or global uncertainty. Nonetheless, our limitations have sharpened our ambition and fuelled innovation. This is why we have embedded the SDGs directly into national strategy. Malta's Sustainable Development Strategy for 2050 outlines concrete policies to align social and environmental goals. And we are not working in isolation. Malta will soon present its Second Voluntary National Review at the UN's High-Level Political Forum; an open, transparent account of our progress, challenges, and vision. It was not drafted be- hind closed doors, but shaped through consultation with civil society, the private sector, aca- demia, and citizens themselves. That is how sustainability be- comes real—not from a podi- um, but when a resident installs solar panels; when a student learns the value of biodiversity; when a business designs for re- use instead of disposal. Malta is also aligned with Eu- rope and the world. Our na- tional actions support the Eu- ropean Green Deal, the Paris Agreement, and the priorities of the SAMOA Pathway for Small Island Developing States. We are advocating for a Medi- terranean approach to climate action that is based on soli- darity, shared solutions, and the understanding that this region is among the most cli- mate-vulnerable in the world. That is why Malta will host the first-ever Mediterranean min- isterial conference on sea level rise this September. This new ranking is a proud moment but it is not the desti- nation. Progress must be con- tinuous. We still have work to do in key areas including bio- diversity conservation, sustain- able mobility, and urban air quality. Transport emissions remain one of our greatest hur- dles. We must go further, fast- er. And we will. In the years ahead, we will continue investing in clean en- ergy, strengthening our water and energy systems, promoting greener lifestyles, and modern- ising transport. We will con- tinue to engage youth more meaningfully by giving them the space to shape the future they will inherit. Malta's rise in the Sustainable Development Report is not a coincidence. It is planning. It is execution. It is belief in what this country can achieve. This is how we build a stronger Mal- ta. 8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 JULY 2025 OPINION & LAW PROCEDURAL rules are strict and must be strictly observed, according to the judgment delivered by Judge Mark Simiana in the case MGD vs LD, decid- ed on 11 July 2025. MGD, the plaintiff, and LD, the de- fendant, were married but separated via a court judgment on 31 October 2017. The marriage dissolution led to multi- ple court decisions on the division of assets, including a garage. The separa- tion judgment specifically assigned the garage to LD subject to certain condi- tions. LD was required to pay MGD €594 and assume all the remaining debt as- sociated with the garage. LD had to ensure MGD was freed from all obliga- tions under the mortgage taken out to purchase the garage. This was a conditional assignment, meaning LD would obtain full own- ership of the garage only once these conditions were met and a proper pub- lic deed was executed to formalise the transfer. Despite the Family Court's clear di- rections, no formal contract was drawn up or published to complete the legal transfer of MGD's share in the garage to LD. Nonetheless, LD took possession of the garage anyway and the loan secured on the garage remained in MGD's name and continued to make payments on it from her personal bank account. Eventually, the plaintiff discovered that the defendant had sold the garage to a third party by deed dated 19 Octo- ber 2021, despite the formal transfer to LD never having been completed. The sales deed included an incorrect state- ment that the garage had been assigned to LD by virtue of a deed dated 31 Oc- tober 2017. The notary who published this deed relied on a statement provided to her about a previous transfer which did not exist, and she was exempted from examining title because the purchaser, waived that requirement under Article 84C of the Notarial Profession and No- tarial Archives Act. However, the transfer of the garage to LD never took place, which essentially meant that MGD remained the legal co-owner of the property. Even so, the defendant treated the separation judg- ment as though it ordered the transfer outright and proceeded to sell the ga- rage. MGD asked court to declare the 2021 sale of the garage null and void and re- scind the contract. Furthermore, she also requested the court to order the defendant to refund all payments she made to HSBC Bank on the loan and life insurance, as required by the 2017 judgment. The defendant argued that the plain- tiff's initiating application was proce- durally defective because it lacked the formal sworn confirmation required by law under Article 156 of the Code of Organisation and Civil Procedure (COCP). This article states that sworn appli- cation must be confirmed under oath before the Registrar or a commissioner empowered to administer oaths. The law treats this requirement as an issue of public order, meaning it is man- datory and strict. Even if the opposing parties do not object, the court is du- ty-bound to raise the issue ex officio, as procedural rules are binding on both litigants and the court itself. The formal oath serves to attach legal weight to the statements in the applica- tion. Without this, the opposing parties cannot rely on the truthfulness of the application's contents as formally at- tested. If courts tolerated the omission of the oath, they would effectively allow litigation to proceed on potentially un- substantiated or unreliable grounds. Ruling on LD's preliminary objec- tion, the court found that this defect in MGD's application was not a mere irregularity but a fundamental nullity affecting the very validity of the action. Citing jurisprudence, the court stated that procedural formalities of this na- ture ensure solemnity, truthfulness and seriousness in litigation. The court ruled that the initial defect in the plaintiff's application could not be overcome by affidavits and her testi- mony during the case. As a result, the court upheld the pre- liminary objection raised by the defend- ant and dismissed the plaintiff's entire lawsuit outright, without entering into an evaluation of her substantive claims. The court also ordered that the plaintiff must pay the legal costs of the proceed- ings. MALCOLM MIFSUD Mifsud & Mifsud Advocates Plaintiff must take an oath on the sworn application Miriam Dalli Change is possible; let's continue delivering it Minister for the Environment, Energy and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour This new ranking is a proud moment but it is not the destination. Progress must be continuous.