Momentum wants referendum on government’s 'anti-democratic' inquiry reform

Momentum has called for a national abrogative referendum to cancel government’s “anti-democratic” magisterial inquiry reform.

“Now that President Myriam Spiteri Debono has confirmed  that “the Constitution is clear” and that she no choice but to sign the magisterial inquiry reform bill, meant to curtail the rights and democratic freedoms of citizens, and imposed upon parliament by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Atard, there is no other avenue left but to go for a national abrogative referendum to cancel the anti-democratic articles, as originally proposed by ADPD,” Momentum chairperson Arnold Cassola said.

Last week, amendments to legislation governing magisterial inquiries cleared Third Reading stage, and will become law.

The reform removes the right of ordinary citizens to directly ask a magistrate for an inquiry. Instead, the individual will have to file a police report and only after six months have lapsed can the person seek recourse at the Criminal Court that will decide if a magisterial inquiry should be held.

Momentum is appealing to all NGOs, civil society groups and political parties to band together a form a referendum committee, with a view of collecting the signatures of 10% of the population necessary to kick-start the referendum.

“In particular, our invitation is addressed to the PN. In 2015, the Nationalist Party (PN) just sat on the fence and did not even lift a single finger to help out with the referendum initiative on Spring hunting. We hope that now, in 2025, the PN will not repeat its 2015 Pontius Pilate attitude and will be part of the common effort to promote the efforts for a referendum to abrogate the Abela-Attard regressive articles on magisterial inquiries that have just been passed through parliament", concluded Arnold Cassola.