Updated 1.15pm
The Nationalist Party has called for the resignation of Justice Minister Jonathan Attard and Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg after Times of Malta revealed a criminal court has lifted a freezing order on Yorgen Fenech’s assets.
The freeze was put in place following Fenech's arrest in 2019 for alleged complicity in journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder. Fenech denies the charges.
Under a recently introduced legal regime, the attorney general must quantify the amount of assets that should be frozen, depending on the crime the suspect is accused of. This does not appear to have been done by the necessary deadline, leading the judge to cancel Fenech's blanket freezing order.
The PN blamed the revocation of the freezing order on "the severe failings of Buttigieg in her role as AG".
The party said the revocation was "a clear confirmation of Buttigieg’s incompetence and misconduct as AG".
The PN also blamed the "grave situation" on "poor legislation" that the Justice Minister passed through parliament and his "blind trust" in Buttigieg.
"Therefore, the PN expects Attard and Buttigieg to immediately take responsibility and step down from their respective positions. This is the only honourable path left for Attard and Buttigieg," Shadow Minister for Justice Karol Aquilina said.
"If Buttigieg remains in the role of AG, she will be abusing the constitutional independence she enjoys, and her serious shortcomings will continue to undermine the AG's office, leading to a poor administration of justice," the party said.
The PN said it had already warned that the changes proposed by the government regarding anti-money laundering laws had been rushed and would weaken institutions, benefitting only criminals.
Reacting to the PN's claims, the Justice Ministry said the law amendments did not weaken the institutions.
'AG failed to do her job': Repubblika
Rule-of-law NGO Repubblika similarly called for Attard and Buttigieg's resignation.
In a statement, it expressed "horror" at news that the freezing order had been lifted following a change in the law.
"We spoke to the parliamentary committee that discussed the proposed changes. We urged the government to not weaken the fight against organised crime.
"The temporary freezing of assets of a person accused of serious crime ensured they did not hide the income from the crime they were accused of committing.
"But Minister Attard, who was leading the legislative proposal stubbornly went ahead with the changes, with the support of the government," the NGO said.
Repubblika claimed Fenech regained hold of his assets because the AG failed to do her job.