Nationalist Party Leader Adrian Delia this evening said that in order for a new Police Commissioner and Attorney General to be selected, a constitutional change is not needed, and their positions can be changed 'today'.
He was taking part in a debate on the rule of law and a call, by the Civil Society Network, for police chief Lawrence Cutajar and AG Peter Grech to resign and to be replaced by people backed by a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
"For the Police Commissioner to be changed there is no need for a constitutional change," he said, in an impassioned speech. "What is needed is the consent of the government and opposition. We need the government to choose a new person with the approval of the opposition, that can happen today. Then will see that the government and opposition are really working for the common good of our country."
Speaking after Delia, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat refuted the idea of having a "deadline" for the rule of law to be strengthened. He added that he does not see a basis on which Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar and Attorney General Peter Grech should resign.
"We will finish as early as possible, with time taken to discuss new principals if needs be, but not with a deadline," he said. "We are refuting arguments which do not make sense like resignation," he continued.
"Even if both sides of parliament agree that we need to remove the Attorney General, I have reserves as to whether we can do that, because there isn't a basis, and if there isn't a basis then we cannot do it, and at the end of the day that is the rule of law."
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2A2GrhQ
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