Alex Borg And Robert Abela Exchange Letters Over Chief Justice Selection Process

Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Alex Borg exchanged letters regarding the appointment of a new Chief of Justice.

The Leader of the Opposition, Alex Borg called for discussions regarding the nomination for the post of Chief Justice to continue in a serious, confidential, and constructive manner. The appeal was made in a letter sent late on Wednesday evening to Prime Minister Robert Abela, in line with provisions in the Constitution and in the national interest.

In his letter, Borg emphasised the need for the process to allow for the consideration of options capable of securing a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives.

He highlighted that it has long been established practice that candidates for positions requiring cross-party consensus should not be subject to public debate or political point-scoring. According to Borg, this approach preserves both the dignity of the office and the institutional weight of the appointment.

The letter also referenced the position of the Chamber of Advocates, which has stated that discussions of this nature should be handled confidentially and responsibly, rather than in the public domain.

Borg noted the Prime Minister’s expressed willingness to engage in dialogue and reiterated his invitation for the discussions to continue in a manner reflecting the importance of the Chief Justice appointment.

The Office of the Prime Minister also published a letter sent by Abela to the Opposition leader in relation to the process.

In his letter Abela clearly denied that they was ever any agreement that stated that the Government would not declare the name of its nominee for Chief of Justice.

He reaffirmed that Consuelo Scerri Herrera has the necessary qualities to take the position, and therefore ht is awaiting the Opposition’s position on her nomination.

#MaltaDaily