Fight against terrorism ‘at the heart of Malta’s EU presidency agenda’

The Maltese EU Presidency is adamant to continue pushing forward discussions on proposals that aim to fight the financing of terrorism, justice minister Owen Bonnici said.

Addressing a joint press conference with EU Justice Commissioner Vera Hourova, Bonnici said that the Maltese presidency is also putting the issue of terrorist fighter returnees high on its agenda in order to tackle this problem from a criminal justice perspective.

He was speaking at the end of an EU justice and home affairs council meeting, in which EU ministers debated the terrorist financing package, the topic of whistleblower protection, and the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Bonnici noted that that Malta is one of the member states which has a whistleblower protection mechanism already in place, arguing that the government believes that whistleblowers play a significant role in democratic societies by helping to uncover unlawful conduct related to corruption and fraud.

“This serves the public interest, in order to reinforce guarantees of integrity, transparency, and accountability,” he said.

He also said that the Maltese Presidency is committed to register progress on the setting up of the European Public Prosecutors Office, despite the current stall of negotiations in Council imposed by the respective procedures set out in the Lisbon Treaty.

“We are committed to finalise this draft regulation as soon as possible,” he said. “We will organise formal technical meetings at expert level in the next few weeks, considering that the Maltese Presidency managed to attain the signatures of enough Member States to notify the wish to negotiate this draft regulation in the context of enhanced cooperation.”