President of Malta voices concerns on political climate
President George Abela says president’s roles and responsibilities need to be revised and expresses concerns on blogging language which is fuelling the electoral climate.
President George Abela said that the president’s roles need to be revised whilst expressing doubts on whether he should continue to supervise the Commission for the Administration of Justice, which was founded 16 years ago.
“It needs to be seen whether the President should continue to preside the Commission for the Administration of Justice. How can the President continue to respond for court delays? What authority does he have in this matter?” Abela asked.
Interviewed by Illum editor Julia Farrugia, Abela also questioned how much longer the President’s role should include signing land expropriations and warrants for newly qualified professionals such as notaries and architects.
“Isn’t land expropriation a purely executive decision? Where does the President come into it when the decision is purely executive?” Abela said.
Speaking on emerging trends in blogs and strong language used by some authors, Abela expressed his concerns regarding the electoral climate already being felt so soon.
“This hurts me because it does not lead to anything. Using harsh adjectives is not going win an argument. It is just going to reflect badly on the individual’s character, whether they are a journalist or speaker,” Abela stressed.
Abela also reveals that next year his Presidency will embark on a one-week hands-on voluntary project abroad, which is a first for a Maltese President.