Malta’s state advocate still does not enjoy security of tenure, meaning he can be easily removed by the government, PN MP Jason Azzopardi warned on Thursday.

Fielding questions during a press conference, Azzopardi called the lack of security of tenure for state advocate Chris Soler as an "attack on the rule of law".  

Azzopardi said the state advocate could easily lose his job if he gave the government advice it did not like.

This contrasted with other constitutional posts, like the attorney general, who can only be removed by a two-thirds majority in parliament, Azzopardi said.

He said security of tenure was important as it allowed people in sensitive roles to operate without fear of being unilaterally removed by the government.

Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis had downplayed concerns, saying in parliament that a clause in the constitution laid down that the state advocate could only be removed by a two-thirds majority.

Azzopardi countered on Thursday that this clause could be revoked by a simple majority in parliament, meaning the state advocate did not really enjoy security of tenure.

Carmelo Abela’s seven sins

During the same press conference, Azzopardi accused OPM minister Carmelo Abela of breaking no less than seven promises made over the past year.

He said the government had reneged on promises to pursue a basic living wage, reform industrial tribunals, amend wage regulations, revamp employment laws, ensure Malta immediately enforces the right to disconnect and regulate platform work.

On the latter point, Azzopardi said workers like food couriers were working 70 to 80-hour weeks with no sick or vacation leave entitlement.

“This is modern day slavery,” Azzopardi said.

PN candidate Paula Mifsud Bonnici said her party would guarantee better pay and conditions for all workers, both in the public and private sectors.

On the living wage, Mifsud Bonnici said the PN would keep applying pressure on the government to open a public consultation process on the matter.