VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta urgently needs to address the length of court proceedings and inefficiencies in the justice system, the European Commission warned in its 2025 Rule of Law Report.
The report criticized a new law that makes it more difficult for citizens to request judicial investigations into alleged crimes, including corruption. It cited stricter evidence requirements, potential legal fees, and a two-year deadline for the transfer of evidence. The Commission noted that these changes have drawn strong criticism, as they weaken a key tool for public accountability.
The EU executive has also condemned Malta’s investor citizenship program. In April, the European Court of Justice ruled that the “golden passport” program violated EU law by commercializing EU citizenship.
Despite increased staffing and new tools available to prosecutors, Malta has yet to secure a significant number of convictions for high-level corruption cases. The Permanent Commission against Corruption has not yet referred any cases to the Attorney General and has not received any new complaints in the past two years.
The report highlighted limited progress regarding press freedom and persistent delays in civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings. The Maltese judiciary remains under-resourced and understaffed compared to other EU countries.
The Ministry of Justice welcomed the report, citing reforms and growing trust in the judiciary. But Nationalist MEP David Casa argued that the government should not be overjoyed, highlighting the lack of measures against corruption and press freedom.
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(ITALPRESS).
