Institutional independence vital 62 years after freedom, warns Momentum

Momentum has called for Malta to prioritise institutional independence, insisting that political self-governance remains incomplete without genuinely independent courts, police force and electoral systems.

"Malta's democratic development cannot stop at national independence," said Carmel Asciak, executive member of Momentum. "We must continue building a country where public appointments are based on merit and integrity, where conflicts of interest are taken seriously, where public funds are managed transparently, and where citizens can trust that institutions work for them rather than for those with influence."

The group warned that 62 years after independence, formal sovereignty is insufficient protection against political pressure and vested interests.

They identified five key areas requiring immediate reform: a police force capable of investigating corruption independently, institutions with adequate authority to prevent and investigate wrongdoing, a judiciary shielded from political influence with a transparent Chief Justice appointment process, an independent public broadcasting service and an effective Electoral Commission.

The group also called for electoral system reform to end clientelism and for a planning system that protects communities and the environment rather than prioritising developer interests.

"We also need political parties that are independent from developers, major donors, and other vested interests," Asciak said. "Party financing must be transparent, properly regulated, and subject to effective oversight, so that political decisions are made in the public interest rather than in response to private funding or influence."

They cautioned that institutional independence remains hollow if government bodies ignore reports from the Ombudsman and the National Auditor, concluding that Malta needs "a country where the law applies equally to everyone, where justice is not selective, and where public institutions serve the common good."