Politicians were on Thursday urged to consider small legislative changes that would allow children born and brought up in Malta a right to citizenship.

"Stateless people are denied a legal identity, access to education, housing, healthcare, job opportunities and even a death certificate so that they can be buried.

"Statelessness is inherited from one generation to another, so a stateless person ends up existing but not living," senior lecturer at the University of Malta George Vital Zammit said.

George Vital Zammit addressing Parliament. Photo: Jonathan Borg

"There are children who were born in Malta, went to school in Malta, speak Maltese, lived all their life in Malta, are good in sports but cannot represent Malta as they have no citizenship... And then we advertise the selling of citizenship."

According to recent data, there are at least 171 stateless people in Malta, almost half of them aged under nine.

Among others, children born in Malta to parents who have been rejected asylum inherit their parents’ lack of documentation, have no social protection and are technically stateless.

Vital Zammit was speaking at a conference about social justice, organised by a team led by PN MP Ivan Bartolo.

"Is it time to revisit the absolute discretion of the minister [when it comes to granting citizenship]?... Parliament can - through small changes in the law and guidelines - allow people to live in dignity," he said, adding that ctizenship was a fundamental right.

The conference, presided by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia, is a culmination of events that included the tabling of a private member's bill to shift to an "opt-out" organ donation system.

The conference was addressed by several members of civil society facing issues of housing, the widening social gap, and homelessness among others.

€4,000 for squatting

Ramona Vassallo, 52, spoke of the "worst experience" of her life when she ended up homeless two years ago.

"I'm suffering the consequences of my past drugs addiction," she said, adding that she was unable to work because of disability issues, so the little money she had was spent on food for herself and a homeless dog that was her only companion.

She said that while she does not beg for money, she sometimes collects empty bottles from the trash to collect funds through the BCRS scheme and can afford food.

Ramona Vassallo addressing Parliament. Photo: Jonathan Borg

However, she is often made fun of while looking for bottles.

Vassallo said that her police conduct and her pet made it extremely challenging to find shelter.

As a female homeless person, she has suffered threats and was also beaten up on the streets: "It's not safe for me outside, but when I tried to hide in abandoned buildings, I was fined €4,000 for squatting".

"I do not wish for anyone - especially women - to end up homeless."

Several of those who addressed the conference spoke about judicial injustice.

Anthony Cauchi, from the NGO Parental Alienation - Malta, noted that his association was holding a protest in Valletta on Thursday to raise awareness about the plight of parents who were denied access to their children.

Cauchi called for urgent action that would no longer see alienated parents and children of couples who were separating having to turn up at court while the issue was resolved.

"Their place is not the court halls. They need a place that allows them to heal," he said.

Cauchi also urged for access and alimony to be decriminalised: sending a parent to jail not only negatively impacted the parent, but also saw their children suffer stigma.

Gżira mayor Konrad Borg Manché similarly noted that alimony and lack of access to children often broke people down. One of his clients, he said, was only allowed to see his children once every fortnight.

'We lost all trust in the authorities'

Kenneth Grima, the father of Matteo Grima - a victim of a traffic accident - said his family had lost all trust in the authorities and the justice system.

Matteo, who is now 22, was hit by a car in April 2020.

The driver was cleared of the charges last year, since the two-year time window to face justice had elapsed.

Sixty-four-year-old Raymond Camilleri was acquitted of all charges after Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace ruled that the charges were time-barred.

"It is shameful and unacceptable that a system meant to protect victims actually re-victimises victims."

Grima urged for amendments in the criminal code that would allow victims to

• temporarily halt prescription,
• the prescription period is temporarily halted if the police issue the wrong charges, or
• the prescription kicks off once a magisterial inquiry is concluded.

Another parent - Isabelle Bonnici - who suffered "the biggest loss a mother could suffer" when her son Jean Paul Sofia was killed in a construction site, also addressed the event.

Isabelle Bonnici addressing Parliament. Photo: Jonathan Borg

"I was living a serene life planning what I'm going to cook for Jean Paul and what I'll get him for Christmas, when my life was suddenly turned upside down," she said, reminding those present that apart from her son losing his life, fellow workers were seriously injured and suffered disabilities.

'Realities that people face every day'

Wrapping up the event, PN leader Bernard Grech warned fellow politicians that social justice was not just a topic to discuss but a reality that people faced everyday.

He flagged issues of lack of access to children, homeless people who don't qualify for housing, long waiting times at hospital suffered by patients before they are admitted to a ward and failure to trace people that are meant to be charged in court.

Referring to Bonnici's persistence with politicians for justice, Grech said that politicians will be held accountable not for being present for Thursday's discussion in parliament, but for their behaviour in the coming months.

Fellow MP and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon commended Bartolo for organising the event.

He noted that no minister could resolve all injustices.

"No one will solve all problems, but we can all make a big difference in someone's life," he said, quoting Mother Theresa.

He assured participants he had taken note of their pleas, but reminded them of the separation of powers and that he could therefore not comment on judiciary delays.