Social Dialogue Minister Helena Dalli. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Justice reform is linked to Malta’s competitiveness as foreign investors would think twice before dealing with a country where civil cases dragged on for years, Social Dialogue Minister Helena Dalli said yesterday.

Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici noted that court delays were one of the issues tackled in the justice reform now in consultation stage.

This week, the 2014 EU Justice Scoreboard showed that while Malta’s justice system registered a significant improvement bet­ween 2010 and 2012, it remained the most inefficient in the EU, after Portugal.

Dr Dalli and Dr Bonnici were addressing members of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development, who were presented with the main recommendations listed in the justice reform consultation document.

Dr Bonnici called on the social partners to give their feedback on the proposals. “I hope this is not the first and last time this subject is discussed with social partners,” he said.

Members of the media were only allowed to sit in for the presentation and not the discussion that ensued.

I hope this is not the first and last time this subject is discussed with social partners

The document, drawn up by the Justice Reform Commission, lists 450 recommendations.

MCESD members were briefed on the highlights of these proposed reforms.

Among other things, it is being proposed that additional disciplinary powers be given to the Commission for the Administration of Justice; the method of appointment and removal of judges is reviewed; the setting up of a prosecutions’ office; and putting in place measures to improve the efficiency of the law courts by tackling delays and administrative problems.

Recommendations also include fast tracking cases of domestic violence, extending the use of mediation beyond the Family Court, introducing moral damages up to €25,000, reforming the legal aid system and setting up a customer care department in court.

The reform addresses the lacuna to allow underage fathers to register their children. It is being proposed that relapsers are given a suspended jail term, and the court would be given the discretion to give a suspended jail term in cases decided many years after a crime was committed.

Dr Bonnici said that after the consultation phase the plan was to implement the reform over the next three years.