Security officers accompanying foreign dignitaries in Malta are being allowed to carry firearms, in line with a legal notice published yesterday on the eve of the Valletta migration summit.
Legal Notice 361 of 2015, published within the ambit of the Arms Act, empowers the Commissioner of Police to “in special circumstances issue a permit… for the import and carriage of firearms and ammunition, for the purpose of the protection of the life and security of a foreign dignitary, to security officers accompanying foreign dignitaries whilst visiting Malta”.
Such a permit would be valid for a “specified period” following a request through the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
The legal notice says that the Police Commissioner had the right to lay down conditions, procedures or restrictions but these are not specified.
It defines security officers as consisting of “officers employed by a foreign government or by an international organisation whose competence to act as such has been certified by an authority outside Malta, who are authorised to carry firearms in the course of their duties outside Malta and who have been officially entrusted with the responsibility of providing protection services to a foreign dignitary visiting Malta”.
What was the need to rush it through? Was there a threat of which we are not aware?
Contacted by the Times of Malta, a government spokesman said he was unable to say why such a measure was required or why the legal notice was published at such a late stage when foreign heads of State and of government were already landing in Malta for the two-day event, which ends tomorrow. Although he said he would come back, no replies were received by the time of writing.
Security experts who spoke with this newspaper questioned the timing and highlighted the possible repercussions these measures could have on the overall coordination of large-scale international events such as those Malta is hosting this month.
“What if there are disturbances? Who will take charge of the situation? Will it be in the hands of the local authorities or foreign security officers,” one expert asked.
Sources close to the organisation team of the 2005 Malta CHOGM said no such thing had happened, adding that the concession announced yesterday was unprecedented.
“This is against all protocol because no foreign security officer is familiar with the local surroundings as much as Maltese officers,” the sources noted.
The Arms Act, under which the legal notice was issued, empowers the Home Affairs Minister to issue certain regulations.
Lawyer Joe Giglio questioned the approach, saying regulations such as those announced yesterday merited a parliamentary debate rather than a simple legal notice in The Malta Government Gazette.
“Prudence would have dictated that such changes, which extend the use of firearms, should have been enacted through a proper law amendment in Parliament where its merits could have been debated,” the lawyer said when asked for his reaction.
As for the timing, Dr Giglio deemed it rather strange that it was only announced 24 hours before the Valletta migration summit was due to start. “What was the need to rush it through? Was there a threat of which we are not aware?”