[WATCH] PN says police agreement undermines force’s autonomy

Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi on new police performance contracts • Video Ray Attard

The opposition today said the new performance contract deal signed between the Office of the Prime Minister and the Home Affairs Ministry “undermines the police force’s autonomy, integrity and independence.”

Addressing the press outside Castille, MP Jason Azzopardi said “we are opposed to this deal which is no agreement at all because its an imposition from above.”

Last week, the Malta Police Association (MPA) voiced its objection to the new agreement signed between the Office of the Prime Minister and the Home Affairs Ministry regulating the appointments of the Commissioner of Police, the Deputy Commissioner and the Assistant Commissioner.

The new document states that these appointments “are to be made on a performance agreements at par with headship positions […] Hence, it is clarified that these appointments will no longer be considered as grades.”

The MPA argued that whoever is set to occupy the top posts within the Police Force will be “under the effective control of the Executive, because it will be at the Executive’s discretion to determine the how long the top officials will retain their posts.”