Updated 3.10 pm with PL statement 

The  Nationalist Party warned on Tuesday that a new Bill which the government wants parliament to debate with urgency, would enable criminals caught with drugs as well as firearms, guns, or explosives to be eligible for proceedings before the Drug Court as victims, thus making them liable for a lighter sentence on conviction.

"This is scandalous, sends the wrong message to society, and creates a significant danger for our police and law enforcement officers. It is unacceptable for the government to attempt to pass a law that endangers those who risk their lives daily to protect the honest citizens of these islands," Karol Aquilina, the shadow minister for justice said. 

The stated aim of the bill - the Drug Dependence (Treatment not Imprisonment) Act, is to widen the composition of the Drug Offenders Rehabilitation Board and to grant wider discretion to the Courts in the application of the Drug Offenders (Treatment notImprisonment) Act. The Bill also proposes various measures aimed at the expedition of the hearing of drug offence cases by amending the guidelines as to the court in which a drug offence case is to be heard and provides for the possibility for the hearing of drug trafficking cases by a judge sitting without a jury in the Criminal Court. 

Aquilina said the government wanted to make it possible for those caught with large quantities of drugs to appear before the Magistrates’ Court rather than the Criminal Court. In practice, this would mean a reduced sentence for those caught with 200 grams of heroin, 200 grams of cocaine, 500 ecstasy pills, or one kilogram of cannabis. In the Magistrates’ Court, the maximum sentence is 12 years imprisonment, whereas, in the Criminal Court, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

"While it is clear that the Government is determined to help drug traffickers at all costs, the Partit Nazzjonalista will continue to insist that the courts, at their discretion, be tough on drug traffickers, while offering support, love, and compassion to drug victims," Aquilina said.

'PN peddling fake news' - Labour 

In a reply to the PN's statement, the Labour Party said on Tuesday the PN is spreading "fake news" about the proposed reform. 

While the PN is claiming that those caught with firearms or explosives while committing a crime can be considered victims and become eligible for drug court, the draft law is proposing exactly the opposite, they said. 

The PL said that the government has not changed the amounts associated with who is eligible to qualify for drug court, but a separate schedule had been created with the very same amount for it to be used in these cases.

"The Nationalist Party is trying to give a misleading impression that the Justice Minister now wants to change these amounts himself with a simple legal notice instead of through legislation," they said. 

"It is condemnable to claim that the Government wants to help drug traffickers at all costs because it amended guidelines used solely for procedural purposes so that instead of an accused person found guilty being sentenced in front of a jury, the same sentence would be given by the Magistrates' Court. The aim is for citizens to see effective justice within a reasonable time frame," they said. 

The Opposition Leader, they continued, is "grasping at straws" to justify the party's position by continuing to spread fake news. 

"This statement confirms the confusion within the Nationalist Party, as contrary to what the Opposition spokesperson is saying, the Parliament's agenda has long been agreed upon, just as the draft law in question has been published for some time. Therefore, it is untrue that the Government is trying to rush the discussion of this law."