WATCH | Malta will not pursue human rights reform in Council of Europe, Ian Borg insists

Reforming human rights is not on Malta’s agenda for its Council of Europe presidency, Ian Borg has confirmed despite the prime minister having promised EU leaders otherwise.

Visibly uncomfortable, the foreign minister was replying to MaltaToday’s question shortly after reiterating Malta’s priorities for the six-month presidency that starts on 14 May.

Convention reform was not on Malta’s agenda when Borg first unveiled the country’s priorities in February and neither was it mentioned on Tuesday at an event during which the presidency logo was unveiled.

“I spoke with the prime minister and this is the programme Malta will be pursuing,” Borg reiterated with reference to the priorities he had just outlined.

The decision to stick to the priorities outlined in February can be interpreted as a snub to the prime minister, who had raised the issue of reform in March.

Malta’s agenda includes the protection of children, strengthening of young people’s voices, furthering the fight against violence and discrimination with a particular emphasis on violence against women, focussing on combatting human trafficking and hate speech, and promoting the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people.

Malta will also be tasked with organising the celebrations connected to the 75th anniversary of the Convention of Human Rights in November.

Borg insisted Malta will work to “protect and strengthen human rights”. When pressed further about the commitment the prime minister made to EU leaders, Borg said he saw nothing wrong with prime ministers discussing ongoing challenges caused by migration.

“I understand the discussion about the convention will continue among the group of 14 like-minded countries within the EU forum but the technical people leading Malta’s Council of Europe presidency will be focussed on the priorities I have outlined,” Borg said.

During an informal meeting on migration at the margins of the EU summit last month, Prime Minister Robert Abela told fellow leaders Malta will put reform of the Human Rights Convention on its agenda when it takes over the Council of Europe presidency.

His comments raised eyebrows among human rights activists and also caught his own government by surprise.

But the prime minister doubled down when addressing parliament a few days later, insisting “loopholes” and “rigid interpretation” justified human rights reform to tackle irregular migration.

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