Coronavirus: Local tribunals will be temporarily closed

Local tribunals will be temporarily closed as a means of precaution against the spread of Covid-19. 

In a joint statement, the Justice Ministry and the Home Affairs Ministry said that this measure will start applying with immediate effect.

"All pending cases will be postponed and such dates of postponement will be communicated in the coming days," the statement read, adding that such a measure was being applied for the sake of both employees and clients.

In a separate statement, the Family Ministry advised individuals seeking to visit the social security district offices to access the government portal, socialsecurity.gov.mt, instead or use the 153 freephone.

"This advice notwithstanding if clients still need to visit district offices, we will be asking for cooperation and will ask that there is no excessive queueing. People might be asked to stay outside until served," the statement read.

District offices will be open from 8am to 1pm from Monday to Friday. District offices in Paola, Qawra, and Birkirkara won't open on Saturdays.

Walk-ins, the Ministry said, will be asked a set of questions and asked to sign a declaration on whether they travelled in the last 14 days. False declarations will be prosecuted according to law.

"Medical board meetings to decide on payments of benefits will be cancelled. Whoever was provided with an appointment to appear before the medical board is asked to ignore the appointment. Payment of benefits will continue as normal."