PD questions government’s motives behind constitutional reforms

Partit Demokratiku (PD) has questioned the motives behind a claim by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who said he would be seeking a debate on constitutional reform.

PD has called for the guranteed autonomy of institutions that according to them have long been the victims of political bargaining and influence.

The appointment and dismissal of the police commissioner, attorney general, auditor general, judiciary, army, Malta Secret Service and FIAU have to have complete political autonomy so as to ensure that their work is not tarnished by political bias, according to the PD.

Parliament also needs to extend proportional representation in the election of its members together and push towards true independence by the Broadcasting Authority, the PD said.

The party called for the AG's office to be split into two, one for a solicitor general and one for the AG, since it does not belive the AG can have the role of both prosecutor and counsel to the government.

The discussion of the elevation of the President’s role to become an executive position was noted by the PD, which said the President’s role should not remain a decorative one but become prudently proactive.  

The PD has questioned the Labour Party’s motives to revise the constitution behind closed doors and has questioned what is the constitutional model that the PM is looking at. They have also questioned if a Parliamentary Committee was going to be involved.