Hands off the courts, law students tell Prime Minister

Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GħSL) president Andrew Drago told Prime Minister Robert Abela not to touch the law courts, protesting against his recent comments against Magistrate Gabriella Vella.

Students protested outside the Law Courts on Tuesday evening to show their anger towards Abela’s comments against the judiciary, particularly at the Magistrate Gabriella Vella, who was overseeing the magisterial inquiry into the sale of three hospitals to Vitals Global Healthcare.

“Students will not allow you to touch this institution,” Drago said in a speech outside the Law Courts. “We believe too much in the rule of law, the very basis of our constitution, to do this.”

He said there is no room for comments that suggest the court is operating against the state. “The position the Prime Minister adopted yesterday was clear – the institutions are working against the public. We, as GħSL, will not accept this.”

Drago added that, if Abela does not trust Magistrate Gabriella Vella, the issue should have been taken to the Commission for the Administration of Justice.

“Why doesn’t the Prime Minister go to the Commission?” he asked. “Because his reasons for undermining the inquiring magistrate are unreasonable and not based on anything apart from political gain.”

The protest was also addressed by KSU president Luke Bonanno, GħSL policy officer Michael Spiteri, GħSL vice president Laura Chetcuti Dimech, KNŻ national officer Sarah Xuereb.