Alex Borg says President Myriam Spiteri Debono is best placed to safeguard the Constitution amid trust breakdown with the prime minister following Wednesday's heated parliamentary exchange
Opposition leader Alex Borg has asked President Myriam Spiteri Debono to preside over all meetings with Prime Minister Robert Abela concerning the nomination of Malta’s next Chief Justice.
Borg stated that he wanted the president to serve as guarantor of the appointment process and emphasised that the same arrangement should be used to choose the auditor general.
“I believe this is in the best interest of the country in order for us to move forward, because Malta must come first and foremost,” Borg said through a post on social media on Thursday.
The Opposition leader explained that he was taking this step because of what he described as false statements made by the prime minister in parliament on Wednesday about their confidential exchange so far over the appointment of chief justice.
Prime Minister Robert Abela alleged that government's nomination of Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera for chief justice had been backed by Borg, who later recanted because it could have led to a split in the PN parliamentary group. Borg denied the accusations.
On Thursday, the Opposition leader said the process had lost its credibility, with the focus shifting from who will be chief justice to whether the Maltese people can trust the prime minister’s conduct.
Borg stated that the president was the most suitable person to defend the Constitution in such circumstances. He emphasised that his request was not meant to obstruct or reject anyone, but rather to serve the national interest and safeguard the integrity of institutions.
The PN leader urged people to ‘observe’ the prime minister’s actions in recent weeks, noting that he shifted his account of events multiple times.
Borg argued that the prime minister had progressed from denying any consultation to making false claims and had even hinted at a possible split within the PN parliamentary group. The split never happened, Borg added.
“None of this materialised, and the PN parliamentary group remains united, defending the national interest and standing up for every Maltese and Gozitan against a Prime Minister who has no qualms about making untrue statements,” he said.
Borg concluded that, although he no longer trusts the prime minister’s word, he is still inviting him to return to the negotiations to discuss the two appointments overseen by the President.
In a statement on Wednesday from the Office of the President, Spiteri Debono said the government and Opposition must pave the way towards an agreement on the appointment of a new chief justice, "in the interest of the Courts and the Administration of Justice, the Rule of Law, the State, and above all our people".
The search for a new chief justice hit a wall last week when Justice Minister Jonathan Attard revealed publicly that the government would nominate Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera for the post. This angered the Nationalist Party, with Opposition leader Alex Borg writing to the prime minister saying the judge’s name was made public despite no agreement having been reached.
Meanwhile, Abela had said the two parties never agreed to keep the names of preferred candidates secret until an agreement is reached. Abela pushed ahead with a parliamentary motion to select Scerri Herrera for the role. The vote took place yesterday and the required two-thirds majority was not achieved.
Incumbent Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti is expected to remain in office until his replacement is chosen.
In previous discussions, Borg had proposed Judge Edwina Grima for the post but never received feedback from the government on the choice.
Opposition leader Alex Borg has asked President Myriam Spiteri Debono to preside over all meetings with Prime Minister Robert Abela concerning the nomination of Malta’s next Chief Justice.
Borg stated that he wanted the president to serve as guarantor of the appointment process and emphasised that the same arrangement should be used to choose the auditor general.
“I believe this is in the best interest of the country in order for us to move forward, because Malta must come first and foremost,” Borg said through a post on social media on Thursday.
The Opposition leader explained that he was taking this step because of what he described as false statements made by the prime minister in parliament on Wednesday about their confidential exchange so far over the appointment of chief justice.
Prime Minister Robert Abela alleged that government's nomination of Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera for chief justice had been backed by Borg, who later recanted because it could have led to a split in the PN parliamentary group. Borg denied the accusations.
On Thursday, the Opposition leader said the process had lost its credibility, with the focus shifting from who will be chief justice to whether the Maltese people can trust the prime minister’s conduct.
Borg stated that the president was the most suitable person to defend the Constitution in such circumstances. He emphasised that his request was not meant to obstruct or reject anyone, but rather to serve the national interest and safeguard the integrity of institutions.
The PN leader urged people to ‘observe’ the prime minister’s actions in recent weeks, noting that he shifted his account of events multiple times.
Borg argued that the prime minister had progressed from denying any consultation to making false claims and had even hinted at a possible split within the PN parliamentary group. The split never happened, Borg added.
“None of this materialised, and the PN parliamentary group remains united, defending the national interest and standing up for every Maltese and Gozitan against a Prime Minister who has no qualms about making untrue statements,” he said.
Borg concluded that, although he no longer trusts the prime minister’s word, he is still inviting him to return to the negotiations to discuss the two appointments overseen by the President.
In a statement on Wednesday from the Office of the President, Spiteri Debono said the government and Opposition must pave the way towards an agreement on the appointment of a new chief justice, "in the interest of the Courts and the Administration of Justice, the Rule of Law, the State, and above all our people".
The search for a new chief justice hit a wall last week when Justice Minister Jonathan Attard revealed publicly that the government would nominate Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera for the post. This angered the Nationalist Party, with Opposition leader Alex Borg writing to the prime minister saying the judge’s name was made public despite no agreement having been reached.
Meanwhile, Abela had said the two parties never agreed to keep the names of preferred candidates secret until an agreement is reached. Abela pushed ahead with a parliamentary motion to select Scerri Herrera for the role. The vote took place yesterday and the required two-thirds majority was not achieved.
Incumbent Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti is expected to remain in office until his replacement is chosen.
In previous discussions, Borg had proposed Judge Edwina Grima for the post but never received feedback from the government on the choice.