Farrugia Sacco impeachment motion shelved

The House Business Committee today decided to postpone the Parliamentary debate and vote on the motion for the impeachment of Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco.

Deputy prime minister Louis Grech argued that the motion should be shelved until the Constitutional court decides on the judicial protest filed by Farrugia Sacco against the prime minister, the attorney general and the commission for the administration of justice.

Despite the Nationalist Party's opposition, the House Business Committee decided that Parliament should endorse the government's proposal, effectively postponing the vote on the motion by a few more weeks.

Farrugia Sacco, who retires in August, filed a judicial protest, claiming that he was not being given a fair trial following government's decision to move a new impeachment motion without a fresh investigation by the commission for the administration of justice.

Farrugia Sacco claims a second decision by the CAJ, reconfirming its original decision in January without holding a second set of hearings on the new impeachment against the judge filed by the Prime Minister, breaches his constitutional rights.

The new motion was filed after the original motion was declared to be invalid in the new legislature when former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi resigned his seat in the House.

In today's meeting, Louis Grech said that it "made more sense" to hold a Parliamentary debate after the Constitutional court decides whether CAJ acted correctly, removing doubts on the legality of the impeachment process.

However, PN deputy leader Mario de Marco insisted that the judicial protest filed by Farrugia Sacco was an on the CAJ's decision and Parliament and Court were two distinct and independent institutions.

While admitting that Parliament should take note of the court proceedings, de Marco said "procedures should not be frozen."