Ministry of justice issues set of criteria for appointments to judiciary

The committee responsible for judicial appointments has laid out a set of criteria on the eligibility and merit of appointments to the judiciary. The criteria, which have been approved by the justice minister, will be published immediately on the government gazette.

Candidates must be able to express themselves in a clear manner in both English and Maltese, must have a valid warrant to practice in Malta as well as a number of years of professional practice as a lawyer as established in the constitution.

Moreover, candidates must show integrity and honesty in both public and private life, knowledge of the law and the law courts and must be “impartial and independent”.

Potential appointees cannot be involved in any business or commercial activities, must not be in financial situations that raise doubts about their capacity to carry out their responsibilities and must have a good knowledge of the code of ethics for members of the judiciary.

It is also stated that candidates must be “hard working, able to work under pressure, be decisive and have good analytical skills”.

The ministry noted that the committee is made up of people that are autonomous and independent and includes the Chief Justice, Attorney General, Auditor General, Ombudsman and president of the Chamber of Advocates.

This, it said, was the implementation of another part of judicial reform and represented the “first time in Malta’s history that clear criteria for such appointments have been made public”

Mr Frankie Mercieca, presently the director general of the law courts, will be the first secretary of the committee.