PN to file parliamentary motion on police commissioner appointment in coming days

The Nationalist Party plans to file a motion in Parliament to amend the constitution in order to have the Commissioner of Police elected through a two-thirds parliamentary majority.

In a statement on Wednesday, the PN said that the Police Commissioner should be someone with the drive to fulfil their duty in an unbiased manner. 

The PN’s proposal will see that the Police Commissioner is appointed after a public call, after which, the candidate is to appear in front of the Permanent Committee on Public Appointments. The candidature would then need to be approved through a two-thirds majority in Parliament, after which they would be appointed by the President.

The Opposition slammed current Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà, stating that, “it is scandalous that after four years at his post, government extended Angelo Gafà’s appointment despite clear and continuous failings in his fight against criminality, particularly that which involves key politicians.”

Angelo Gafa was reappointed to the role for a further four years.

In his initial reaction, the Opposition leader Bernard Grech slammed the decision, saying the county deserves an objective commissioner who does not favour anyone, and does not defend the interests of the Labour Party. On Sunday, Grech said Gafa is not meeting the people’s needs. He also criticised the Prime Minister for ignoring people’s concerns through the commissioner’s reappointment.

“He shouldn't remain there, but the Government is weak and not able to remove him. It is necessary for the commissioner to be chosen through a two-thirds parliamentary majority and we will raise it in parliament,” Bernard Grech said on Sunday morning. Angelo Gafà was formally appointed police commissioner after his nomination was approved by parliament’s public appointments committee back in 2020. He was the first police commissioner to not be directly appointed by the Prime Minister.

This time round he needed the Public Service Commission’s approval for the contract to be renewed.

The statement was signed by PN MPs Darren Carabott and Karol Aquilina.