Four political parties and several civil society groups have jointly called for the government to freeze the parliamentary process to approve a controversial revision of Malta’s law governing magisterial inquiries.

The group gathered in Valletta on Saturday morning to voice their concerns about Bill No. 125, which is being fast-tracked through parliament without any opportunity for public consultation.

The bill was unveiled in late January and seeks to overhaul the existing system of magisterial inquiries. It was drafted and presented after former MP and government gadfly Jason Azzopardi filed a raft of requests for the courts to probe various ministers.

If passed into law, private citizens will be precluded from directly asking the courts to launch an inquiry. Instead, they will be required to ask the police to do so. The courts will only be able to launch a probe if the police do nothing for six months.

The proposal has been slammed by the Opposition and decried as anti-democratic by former chief justices and multiple pressure groups. The Chamber of Advocates and the Chamber of Commerce have also expressed alarm about the plan.

In a statement on Saturday, a group of 14 political parties, NGOs, pressure groups and individuals said the plan “poses a grave threat to the foundations of democratic principles, including transparency, accountability, and the pursuit of justice.”

They highlighted concerns about requiring the police to pre-approve inquiry requests, a provision that would impose a two-year deadline on inquiries, plans to raise the standard of evidence admissible in inquiry requests and a provision that will make the law retroactive for all pending requests.

“The implications of these proposed amendments are deeply troubling and give rise to serious questions about the future of justice and the rule of law in Malta,” they said.

The group said the government should suspend the bill’s legislative process and open the proposals up to public consultation while ensuring reforms do not compromise citizens’ rights or judicial autonomy.

“We are committed to the rule of law and fundamental rights. This bill is a step backwards for democracy,” they said.

Organisations endorsing the call: 

ADPD - Sandra Gauci

BirdLife Malta - Caldon Mercieca

Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation - Corinne Vella

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar - Astrid Vella

Friends of the Earth - Martina Camilleri

Kopin - William Grech

Kunsill Studenti Universitarji - Emma Degabriele

Indipendenti - Matthew Borg Cuschieri

Momentum - Katya Compagno

#occupyjustice - Joanna Agius

PMP - Silvan Agius

Residenti Beltin - Billy J McBee

Sliema Residents Association - Anna Maria Baldacchino

VOLT - Arnas Lasys