Borg and Abela have 'healthy discussion' about appointing new Chief Justice

Updated 7.59pm

Opposition leader Alex Borg arrived at Castille on Friday evening for an hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Robert Abela on the appointment of the next Chief Justice.

Borg was seen entering the office of the prime minister at 6.30pm accompanied by Shadow Justice Minister Joe Giglio.

The  meeting was held after both Abela and Borg were summoned separately by the President of Malta Myriam Spiteri Debono on Thursday evening.

The President urged them both to reach agreement in parliament on the appointment of the next Chief Justice, making it clear she will not be involved in the discussions.

Abela was first to be called to San Anton on Thursday and following his meeting with Spiteri Debono, he immediately invited Borg to continue talks on the chief justice appointment on Friday.

Speaking to journalists outside Castille following the meeting, Borg said it was a "healthy discussion" and talks will continue "until there is an agreement".

As he left his office, the prime minister told journalists waiting outside Castille another meeting will be held as he hoped for an agreement on a name for the role.

"It was a good meeting, during which we discussed a number of points. After today's meeting, we will evaluate what was said. We will then hold another meeting, to hopefully agree on a name for a new chief justice," Abela said.

He declined to say whether the government proposed the same name, citing confidentiality.

Abela said that the Justice Minister Jonathan Attard and his opposition counterpart Joe Giglio had held several meetings on the matter.

He reiterated the "crucial" importance of make the "correct choice". 

"It is the people's sacrosanct right to have a justice system administerd in the best way," Abela added.

Earlier this week, the PN leader had asked the president to act as a guarantor of the appointment process and to preside over all meetings between himself and the prime minister.

But talks will now continue without the President's intervention.

Abela had called for the introduction of an anti-deadlock mechanism to break the parliamentary impasse over the appointment after efforts to appoint Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera as the new chief justice collapsed over the failure to secure a two-thirds majority in parliament.

The incumbent, chief justice Mark Chetcuti, will remain in the role until a replacement is agreed upon even though he reached retirement age on Wednesday.

The government went public with its decision to back Judge Scerri Herrera for the role last week. 

The PN leader is understood to have proposed four other names for the role.