Opposition votes against constitutional amendments bill

The Opposition voted against a bill on constitutional amendments related to the judiciary in its second reading in parliament on Wednesday. 

The bill, which will require a two-thirds majority of the House in the final vote to become law, features amendments which the government says are necessary to modernise and streamline the administration of justice.  

They include the appointment of a standards commissioner for the judiciary and giving judges the option of staying on for a further two years after the current retirement age of 68. 

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the PN was against piecemeal amendments to the constitution and wanted comprehensive reform to strengthen democracy.

Changes to the constitution, Grech insisted, should not be done hastily and in the interest of the government’s agenda or the interest of a few individuals, but in the national interest. 

“For the past few years, the government has been coming to the opposition and saying it wants to change this and that part of the constitution, and we would reply that we would vote in favour, while insisting that reform should eventually be done wholesale. We gave the benefit of the doubt several times but we can no longer do this,” Grech said.  

He complained that the government had repeatedly ignored the PN’s call for a comprehensive package of amendments concerning public broadcasting, party media, the appointment of the attorney general and the police commissioner, the environment and the implementation of the recommendations of the inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.  

“Evidently, the government doesn’t want this country or its people to move forward. Instead, it prefers to cut and paste solutions at the last minute,” he said. 

Grech appealed to Prime Minister Robert Abela to ensure that the government and the opposition, in consultation with civil society, could carry out the process of broad constitutional reform, under the patronage of President Myriam Spiteri Debono. 

Replying to Grech, Abela remarked that the current PN leader’s approach was different to former leader Adrian Delia, who cooperated when it came to carrying out reforms to the judiciary, “without making all of these excuses.” 

“The opposition wants to run the government while it is in opposition. It wants to appoint the police commissioner itself and wants an attorney general who will crucifiy whoever it sees fit,” Abela said. 

The prime minister said that a vote against the amendments was a vote against the people as well as the judiciary, the members of which, he insisted, were on board with every amendment in the bill.  

“We didn’t dream up this package of reforms by ourselves. The judiciary is telling us to legislate so that it is more accountable and to remove doubts about its transparency," he said, adding that people involved in court cases would benefit from increased efficiency. 

“This is one of the worst episodes of this current Opposition – a result of pique and an attempt by the leader of the opposition to consolidate his weak position in his party by stamping his feet and acting the tough guy,” Abela said.

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said the reforms proved that the government understood the people's concerns.

"The judiciary is also concerned by the impression that there is currently no one to hold it accountable," he said.

"The opposition needs to decide if it’s on the side of the people - who will have stronger rights - on the side of the judiciary, that wants to raise its standards, or on the side of the few who want to tarnish the reputation of the judiciary."

The opposition voted against the bill after a division. The bill will now be debated in committee before a final vote on the third reading. 

Labour hits out at Opposition 'no' vote

In a statement after the vote, the Labour Party said that by voting against this reform, the Nationalist Party was depriving the people of what the judiciary itself wanted. "Thus, the promoters of the rule of law, do not want the judicial system to be accountable and credible in line with European and international principles of good governance and the right to a fair trial."

The PL said the Opposition is kidnapped by the extremist clique of the Nationalist Party, and is taking a conservative and partisan stance, rather than working in the interest of the people and towards the constitutional development of the country in a mature way.