Govt appeals for ‘maturity’ as Opposition calls for Farrugia Sacco impeachment motion

Opposition ready to delay summer recess but government calls for maturity as Farrugia Sacco takes case to court.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici appealed for maturity after the Opposition said the government should proceed with the impeachment motion against judge Lino Farrugia Sacco, who retires on 22 August.

“The Opposition knows this is a delicate situation that requires maturity. Yet it chooses to turn it into political football. The system adopted by the government in appointing members by the judiciary is a practice followed by several governments since the Independence,” Bonnici said in a statement.

The minister added that Farrugia Sacco had taken his case to court basing his arguments on fundamental human rights and Parliament shouldn’t proceed with the impeachment motion until the cases in court are settled.

Bonnici said he had appealed for such issues to be decided as soon as possible. He went on to add that the government was carrying out wide consultations on Constitutional amendments to improve the administration of justice.

On its part, the Opposition said it was prepared to delay the summer recess to allow Parliament to debate the impeachment motion before the judge retires in August.

“If the minister wants to be taken seriously, he should proceed with the impeachment motion immediately in Parliament,” the PN said.