Twenty university student organisations have endorsed a statement by the Law Students’ Society condemning the government’s recent attacks on judiciary members.
“Comments made by the highest government officials which devalue the work and tarnish the reputation and integrity of the judiciary have no place in a parliamentary democracy founded on the rule of law,” the statement said.
The statement comes in the wake of attacks by Prime Minister Robert Abela and disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat as a magisterial inquiry into the corruption involved in the scandalous and “fraudulent” deal negotiated by the Labour Party to privatise Malta’s public hospitals came to a close.
Both have launched persistent attacks against Magistrate Gabriella Vella, who delivered the conclusions of the hospitals’ inquiry to the Attorney General on 25 April.
The prime minister has equated the pursuit of justice with “political terrorism”, while Muscat has said he’s ready for war after failing to compromise the inquiry.
“The Rule of Law requires that the Judiciary is allowed to function without undue pressure,” the student societies insisted.
The 20 societies supporting the law students included Kunsill Studenti Universitarji, Junior Chamber of Advocates, Malta International Relations Student Association, Studenti Demokristjani Maltin, and Criminology Students’ Association, as well as several others representing medical, engineering, and ICT associations.
The student organisations supporting the call:
- Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi (GħSL)
- Junior Chamber of Advocates (JCA)
- Earth Systems Association (ESA)
- The Malta International Relations Student Association (MIRSA)
- Medical Biochemistry Students’ Association (MBSA)
- Studenti Demokristjani Maltin (SDM)
- Studenti Ħarsien Soċjali (SHS)
- University of Malta Rowing Club (UM rowing)
- Young European Federalists (JEF)
- Media & Knowledge Sciences Association (MKSA)
- Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU)
- Malta Medical Students’ Association (MMSA)
- University Engineering Students’ Association (UESA)
- University Students of Performing Arts Association (USPA)
- Criminology Students’ Association (CSA)
- Association of Linguistics and Language Technology students (ALLT)
- Malta Association of Dental Students (MADS)
- Psychology Students Organisation (BETAPSI)
- Terra Di Mezzo (TDM) 2000 Malta
- Science Students’ Society (S-Cubed)
- ICT Students’ Association (ICTSA)
This is good news. In the past, one might reasonably have come to the conclusion that most Maltese students were either too scared to be seen putting their heads above the parapet or were simply apathetic. This is an extremely important issue. I hope this encourages a wider debate within the University, and young people in general.