The European Commission wants Malta to find solutions that strengthen the rule of law and will continue to work with the “new authorities” to accelerate these reforms.
A Commission spokesman was speaking to Times of Malta as Prime Minister Robert Abela took over the reins from Joseph Muscat.
The Commission, the spokesman said, has been following the developments in Malta “closely” and had also expressed its concerns on several occasions.
“Our objective is that Malta can find solutions that strengthen the rule of law, based on cooperation and mutual support. In this context, the Commission remains in contact with the Maltese authorities on the reform of the judicial system.
“We will continue to work with the new authorities to accelerate these reforms and our services remain at the disposal of the Maltese authorities to offer support,” the spokesman said.
He said the Venice Commission made it clear that it expected the Maltese authorities to implement in full its recommendations.
“Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders also strongly encouraged that Maltese authorities consult the Venice Commission on all draft legislation to ensure that the problems identified will be effectively addressed.
“He also asked the Maltese authorities to provide clarity about the steps and timeline ahead,” the spokesman said.
During his first week in office, while pledging to implement without delay the recommendations made by the Venice Commission, Dr Abela said he first wanted to engage in discussions with the Council of Europe’s rule of law experts.
In 2018, the Venice Commission said that Malta needed better checks and balances to ensure proper rule of law on the island. It had described the Office of the Prime Minister as being at “the centre of power” and institutions too weak to provide sufficient checks and balances.
On Tuesday, the prime minister unveiled a new process to fill the post of police commissioner whereby a public call would be issued, with the applicants then being screened by a public sector body.
The final decision on the candidate will continue to rest with the prime minister and Parliament will then vote before the chosen person is made commissioner.
While Dr Abela said the new method of selecting a police chief was going beyond the Venice Commission’s suggestion of the prime minister retaining a veto on the appointment, civil society group Repubblika disagreed.
The group said the new selection process did not address the Venice Commission’s concerns about the over-arching power of the prime minister.