The Nationalist Party yesterday accused Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of choosing to put a judge’s career before the interests of the justice system.

Speaker’s Anġlu Farrugia ruled on Tuesday that an impeachment motion against Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco that had been moved by former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi was “dead”.

Soon after, Dr Muscat announced that the government would move a fresh motion to restart the impeachment process from scratch.

The PN said the Prime Minster wanted to gain more time to allow the judge to retire before Parliament could impeach him. Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco is due to leave his post in August when he turns 65.

Labour is ready to do anything in its power to save Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco

“Labour’s insistence to go against what had already been established in the past, that an impeachment motion survives the dissolution of Parliament, is further proof that Labour is ready to do anything in its power to save Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco, who also happens to be the father of Labour candidate David Farrugia Sacco.”

Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said the Opposition was turing the issue into a political football.

He said that until urgent legal amendments, now subject to talks between the two sides, were made, parliamentary regulations had to be followed.

These were interpreted not by the government but by the Speaker of the House aided by independent constitutional experts such as Prof. Ian Refalo.

Failing to abide by these laws would expose the House to the potential of fundamental rights breaches, Dr Bonnici said.