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Karl Schembri
The President has been putting pressure on Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to name the new Broadcasting Authority chairman and the new Ombudsman as both seats have remained vacant for two months, MaltaToday can reveal.
A spokesman told MaltaToday that “President Eddie Fenech Adami is concerned and has raised both issues with the prime minister” when asked about the vacant Ombudsman’s post and the Constitutional vacancies at the Broadcasting Authority, whose chairman and board members’ term expired at the end of September.
“The President is still awaiting the advice of the prime minister with regard to the appointment of the members of the Broadcasting Authority and a resolution approved according to law for the appointment of an Ombudsman,” the spokesman said. “The President understands that contacts between the government and the opposition have taken place on both issues.”
Labour leader Alfred Sant has disagreed during confidential meetings with Gonzi on removing Joseph Said Pullicino from BA chairman, saying the former chief justice was doing a good job despite the MLP’s initial criticism after he was appointed.
His term had originally expired last March, but Gonzi agreed in June to reinstate him and the board for six months as a temporary solution to the deadlock.
The BA’s chairman and board members are appointed by the President on advice of the prime minister after consultation with the opposition leader.
The prime minister has also failed to propose a new Ombudsman for Parliament’s two-thirds majority approval after Joseph Sammut’s term expired last July. In an uncannily similar manner, Gonzi extended Sammut’s term until 1 October after the President had expressed his concerns with the prime minister that the Ombudsman’s office would stop functioning.
A statement dated 11 November on the Ombudsman’s website said that although the office was still receiving grievances from citizens, reports and recommendations can only be made after the appointment of a new Ombudsman. The website was shut down last week.
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