Gozo courthouse to be completed by December 2028

Gozo’s new courthouse has been eyed for completion by December 2028, Justice Minister Clifton Grima announced.

In response to a parliamentary question on Monday from Nationalist MP Frank Anthony Tabone, Grima said plans are being prepared for submission to the Planning Authority.

He said the project is in the design and planning stage, with renovation works set to begin once the Planning Authority approves it.

At the same time, they will prepare tender documents to procure the furniture and equipment needed for the courthouse.

“Once renovation works are completed and all necessary services and equipment are installed, the courthouse will begin operating,” Grima said.

The government agreed to purchase the former Downtown Hotel site in Rabat, Gozo, for €6.325 million to house the new law courts.

It selected the site after a public market consultation launched in 2022, which assessed 11 submissions.

The new courthouse will replace the existing courts in the 17th-century building in the Citadel, which has struggled to meet modern requirements for space, accessibility, and safety.

Gozo’s current courts operate from a 17th-century building in the Citadel, an iconic heritage site but one increasingly unable to accommodate rising caseloads, modern legal requirements and accessibility standards. Officials had said the new location will address longstanding issues related to space, safety, and functionality.