The government has reaffirmed its commitment to increasing court efficiency after the judiciary warned the rule of law could not be upheld without adequate resources and support staff.

In comments to Times of Malta, a justice ministry spokesperson said the government remains committed to increasing court efficiency, ensuring that all members of the judiciary have the tools and resources required to truly see that justice is done efficiently and effectively, while further guaranteeing that justice is accessible to all citizens.

The comments follow a dire warning by the president of the association of judges and magistrates Francesco Depasquale.

If no urgent and immediate action is taken, he warns, the situation is bound to deteriorate further, leading to the eventual collapse of the essential institution responsible for maintaining the rule of law.

'Unprecedented reforms'

The justice ministry spokesperson assured that the government has always kept its doors open to the judiciary and other stakeholders for any discussions to improve the justice system and the rule of law in Malta, and it will continue to take the same approach.

“Together with the political will to modernise our countries' institutions, this approach led to unprecedented reforms to strengthen the institutions, including the judicial system.

“The ministry has also kept the investment in the Court Services Agency as one of its priorities to assist better the judiciary, legal professionals, and court staff to provide the necessary skill-set and tools required to ensure that justice is efficient, effective, and accessible,” the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson pointed towards recent projects such as the digitalisation of the law courts and efforts to increase the number of courts halls as clear examples of measures already taken to strengthen the system. 

Staffing discussions ongoing

Following the appointment of new judges and magistrates, making it the largest bench in the court’s history, the next step is to help the Court Services Agency revise its human resources plan, with the aim of addressing staff requirements, including a better pay package to retain incumbent staff and attract new employees, the spokesperson continued. 

“Final discussions” are under way with the unions to conclude the first collective agreement, the spokesperson said. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the Nationalist Party said the concerns raised by the judiciary had long been flagged to the government by the opposition. 

The party’s justice spokesperson Joe Ellis vowed that a PN government would dedicate all the necessary resources to ensure court efficiency.