Stqarrija dwar il-Ħatra għall-Kariga ta’ Prim Imħallef tal-Qrati.

Il-Kamra tal-Avukati tagħmel referenza għall-istqarrija li kienet ħarġet ftit ġimgħat ilu dwar il-proċess tal-ħatra għall-kariga ta’ Prim Imħallef tal-Qrati.

Sfortunatament, minflok ma s-sitwazzjoni ġiet indirizzata b’sens ta’ responsabbiltà istituzzjonali, l-iżviluppi riċenti wrew li l-proċess mhux biss ma ġiex konkluż, iżda li din issa degenerat f’sitwazzjoni  li ma tagħmilx ġieħ lill-ogħla istituzzjonijiet tal-pajjiż. Dak li kellu jkun proċess serju, matur u diskret issa qed jixbah aktar farsa pubblika.

Il-Kostituzzjoni tipprevedi maġġoranza ta’ żewġ terzi proprju biex din il-ħatra tkun frott ta’ qbil nazzjonali u mhux ta’ kalkolu politiku. Il-fatt li l-partiti politiċi ma rnexxielhomx jaslu għal ftehim, u li l-proċess ġie mġiegħel jiżvolġi fil-pubbliku permezz ta’ spekulazzjonijiet u tixrid ta’ ismijiet ta’ kandidati potenzjali, juri nuqqas serju ta’ tmexxija u ta sens ta’ responsabbiltà nazzjonali.

Il-Kamra temmen li l-klassi politika falliet lill-pajjiż meta ħalliet proċess daqshekk delikat jiġi strumentalizzat għal finijiet politiċi. Il-pubblikazzjoni u d-diskussjoni pubblika ta’ ismijiet ta’ membri tal-ġudikatura jew kandidati prospettivi hija prattika li tmur kontra l-ispirtu ta’ din il-ħatra u tesponi lill-individwi għal pressjoni u kritika mhux ġustifikata.

Dan il-proċess kellu jkun wieħed kunfidenzjali, immaniġġjat b’dinjità u b’rispett sħiħ lejn l-istituzzjoni tal-ġudikatura. L-awtorità u l-kredibilità tal-Qrati ma jistgħux jibqgħu suġġetti għal kalkoli politiċi jew negozjati li jsiru fuq il-palk pubbliku.

Il-Kamra tal-Avukati terġa’ ssejjaħ lill-mexxejja politiċi sabiex jaġixxu b’sens ta’ maturità kostituzzjonali u jaslu għal qbil mingħajr aktar dewmien. Kull jum li jgħaddi f’din is-sitwazzjoni qed ikompli jnaqqas il-fiduċja pubblika fl-istituzzjonijiet u jikkawża ħsara lis-settur tal-ġustizzja.

Il-ħatra ta’ Prim Imħallef m’għandhiex tkun kompetizzjoni politika, iżda att ta’ responsabbiltà nazzjonali.

Il-Kamra tal-Avukati

Statement on the Appointment to the Office of Chief Justice

The Chamber of Advocates refers to the statement it issued a few weeks ago concerning the process for the appointment to the office of Chief Justice.

Unfortunately, rather than the situation being addressed with a sense of institutional responsibility, recent developments have shown that the process has not only remained unresolved, but has now degenerated into a spectacle that does no credit to the country’s highest institutions. What ought to have been a serious, mature and discreet process now increasingly resembles a public farce.

The Constitution provides for a two-thirds majority precisely to ensure that such an appointment is the result of national consensus and not political calculation. The fact that the political parties have failed to reach agreement, and that the process has been forced into the public domain through speculation and the circulation of the names of potential candidates, demonstrates a serious lack of leadership and national responsibility.

The Chamber believes that the political class has failed the country by allowing such a delicate process to be instrumentalised for political ends. The publication and public discussion of the names of members of the judiciary or prospective candidates is a practice that runs counter to the spirit of this appointment and exposes individuals to unwarranted pressure and unjustified criticism.

This process ought to have been confidential, conducted with dignity and with full respect towards the institution of the judiciary. The authority and credibility of the Courts cannot remain subject to political calculations or negotiations carried out on the public stage.

The Chamber of Advocates once again calls upon political leaders to act with constitutional maturity and to reach agreement without further delay. Each passing day in this situation continues to erode public confidence in the institutions and to cause harm to the justice sector.

The appointment of a Chief Justice must not become a political contest, but rather an act of national responsibility.

Chamber of Advocates