Transport Malta has 'no policy' about burqa

Transport Malta “presently” has no policies about drivers wearing a burqa or a niqab, Transport Minister Joe Mizzi confirmed in parliament.

Mizzi was replying to a question raised by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, who also asked whether the Minister believes such a policy was needed.

The minister, however, failed to reply to the second part of the question.

In a separate question on the same matter by PN MP Clyde Puli, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela confirmed that no criminal action is taken against persons who wear a full-face veil because of religious beliefs.

“It is not a contravention to wear a full-face veil because of religious beliefs,” the minister confirmed.

The Police, however, can order the removal of a veil if they have reasonable suspicion that the individual planned on committing a crime.

Azzopardi recently took to Facebook calling for amendments to the law about the burqa.

Azzopardi, a lawyer by profession, had told MaltaToday that the issue was about consistency of the laws, social cohesion and security issues.

Article 338 of the Criminal Code states that it is a contravention against public order if anyone “in any public place, wears any mask, or disguises himself, except at the time and in the manner allowed by law”.

This is punishable with up to two months' detention, as for any other contravention.

“So if the law clearly wants visual recognition for obvious reasons, does the wearing of a burqa walk hand in hand with this prohibition or go counter? What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” Azzopardi argued, speaking in his personal capacity as a citizen and a lawyer.