Political NGOs and parties want the government to suspend the investigation reform

A coalition of NGOs, political parties and groups of civil society and expressed concerns about the draft law 125, warning that the changes proposed to magisterial investigations threaten judicial independence, citizens’ rights and democratic responsibility.

In a common statement, the signatories – including legal professionals, environmental groups and political organizations – have asked the Government to suspend the legislative process, warning that the draft law will seriously limit public access to justice and weaken the supervisory mechanisms.

The draft law introduces a requirement for the prior approval of the Police, before a judge takes into account the request of a citizen for an investigation, adding a six -month delay that critics claim to discourage people to report crimes.

It also imposes a strict term of two years regarding the ongoing bus investigations, after which the case materials are delivered to the Attorney General, raising fears of premature cases.

A very controversial clause follows the rejection of all the applications pre-2025 citizens for investigations who have not yet received a final decision, who could stop the cases in progress and denying the justice of the affected.

The opposition to the draft law joined a diverse group of interested parties, including the Chamber of Lawyers, Chamber of Commerce and Judicial Experts, who have raised concerns that the proposed changes would erode legal guarantees and limit the access of citizens to justice.

The signatories of the common statement include organizations such as the Daphne Caruana Galizia, Birdlife Malta, ADPD and the Sliema Resident Association, along with other prominent political activists and political figures.

“We are employed with the rule of law and fundamental rights,” the statement shows. “This draft law is a step back for democracy.”

The coalition asks the government to stop the legislative process immediately and to engage in public consultations with legal experts, civil society and the wider public.

Their requests include the suspension of the draft law to allow thorough debates and discussions, involvement in a significant dialogue with all relevant interested parties and to ensure judicial independence is not compromised in any legal reform.