The Justice Ministry on Friday published a call for the appointment of five magistrates, one of whom will replace a sitting magistrate who is being promoted to judge.

Pre-empting the call, Minister Jonathan Attard in had said the Chief Justice will now be able to assign four magistrates to focus entirely on magisterial inquiries.

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 magisterial inquiries. 

Attard had said that by September, there were 1,723 pending magisterial inquiries, some of them dating back 40 years.

On Friday, the government said the call, which follows that for three judges, will strengthen the judiciary complement, which is already the largest in the island's history.

Applicants must fulfil the conditions set out in Articles 96B(2) and 100 of the Constitution of Malta and should have practised as an advocate in Malta for seven years.

Applications will be vetted by the Judicial Appointments Committee established by virtue of Article 96A of the Constitution.

Letters of application and documents should be submitted to the Secretary, Judicial Appointments Committee, Courts Services Agency, St Thomas Moore Building, Triq id-Dejqa, Valletta by not later than 1pm on October 30.