AG lawyers industrial action threatens ongoing high profile criminal cases

The compilation of evidence in several high profile criminal cases could be disrupted from Monday as lawyers at the Attorney General’s office step up industrial action.

In an ongoing dispute with government after collective agreement talks stopped abruptly because of the election, the UĦM Voice of the Workers has instructed AG lawyers not to continue presenting proof in compilation of evidence cases where the prima facie decree has already been given.

The directive, which comes into force on Monday, will mean that some of the major criminal cases could be stalled since these cannot be re-assigned to other AG lawyers who are not members of the UĦM.

Sources have told MaltaToday that the high-profile cases involving money laundering and murder, which cannot easily be re-assigned because of their complicated nature, could be impacted by the directive.

It remains to be seen how the judiciary hearing such cases will react to the development at their next sitting.

The union wants talks on the collective agreement to continue given that they had reached their final stage after more than a year of negotiations.

However, a directive issued by the principal permanent secretary as soon as the election was called has halted all collective agreement talks.

Government has defended its position saying this is normal practice when an election is called.

AG lawyers were already obeying union directives; however, Monday’s planned action could result in the first major disruption to the justice system.