Momentum launches parliamentary petition against magisterial inquiry reform

Political party Momentum have launched a parliamentary petition calling on government to halt proposed amendments to magisterial inquiry law.

“Members of the Executive Committee of Momentum, Matthew Agius, Carmel Asciak, Natasha Azzopardi, Sumaya Ben Saad, Mark Camilleri Gambin, Arnold Cassola and Katya Compagno have initiated a parliamentary petition to ensure that the law on Magisterial Inquiries is not tampered about with,” a party statement read.

Last week government tabled the First Reading on the proposed amendments to amend the criminal code, and reform the law on magisterial inquiries.

The move comes after Prime Minister Robert Abela spent the past months complaining on what he claimed was “abuse” by people requesting “unfounded” magisterial inquiries.

The petition reads as follows:

“On 15 December 2024 Prime Minister Robert Abela ordered the Minister of Justice to reform the current system of magisterial inquiries so that, according to him, citizens do not abuse the system.

This order of the Prime Minister constitutes a danger to democracy in Malta.

The present Police Commissioner has refused to investigate cases of very questionable conduct on the part of politicians several times in the last four and a half years.

The Magisterial Inquiry is therefore the only means that the common citizen has to request an investigation into alleged bad behaviour on the part of politicians.

Therefore, we are asking all the Honourable members of this Parliament not to amend this law and to leave it as it is, because otherwise they would be making it more difficult for the citizens to have access to justice.

Maltese citizens are invited to enter the Maltese parliament website to add their signature to this petition, in order to prevent this callous attempt at limiting the possibilities of Maltese citizens to obtain justice and transparency through Ministerial Inquiries.”