New judicial appointments needed to fill pre-March vacancies

Forthcoming judicial promotions for a sitting magistrate and a lawyer are part of the government's intention to fill in two vacancies, informed sources from the justice ministry have told MaltaToday.

Parliamentary secretary Owen Bonnici informed the government on the 13 March, just days after the election of Labour to power, that two new members of the judiciary had to be appointed "urgently", but the same sources denied previous reports that the appointments were being rushed ahead of a reform in the justice sector.

Magistrate Antonio Mizzi and lawyer Charmaine Galea are being mentioned as the two new additions to the bench, with Mizzi becoming judge and Galea a magistrate.

Mizzi is husband to Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi, while Galea works at the law firm of Labour deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela.

Ministry sources told MaltaToday the appointments only come in response to two vacancies in the judiciary triggered by the resignation of judge Ray Pace, which took place three whole months before the new government's swearing-in; and Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna's retirement during the same period.

"The government immediately acted to fill these two vacancies. The actual names of the new members of the judiciary will be published in the coming days... government is going for quality above everything else," the ministry source claimed. "The government owes it to the people that the judiciary is in its full compliment so that the problem of court delays is not augmented by a deficit of personnel in the judiciary."

At the end of March, Judge Giovanni Bonello was chosen to head the Justice Reform Commission, which reform includes a revised process through which lawyers are promoted to the bench. The commission is expected to put forward the proposed review towards the end of June. A three-month public consultation will then be launched with measures materialising by end of 2013.