Delegations from the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party have had separate meetings with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, which is advising the government on constitutional and other legislative amendments to strengthen the rule of law.

Former minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, who led the PN delegation, told the Commission that the existing national institutions had been usurped by the government.

READ: Malta's institutions to come under Council of Europe scrutiny

The PN delegation - from left, Chris Said, Carm Mifsud Bonnici and David Stellini.

Change was needed, he said, for these institutions to function independently and in a transparent manner. Change also needed to ensure respect for meritocracy and to strengthen mechanisms against corruption. 

The other members of the PN delegation were MPs Chris Said and David Stellini.

The Labour Party delegation was composed of Byron Camilleri, whip of the parliamentary group, and former minister and government adviser Edward Zammit Lewis.

They explained how the present government had brought in reforms which, they said, had strengthened democracy and good governance, including autonomy for parliament and legislation for the appointment of a Commissioner for Standards in Public Life and the Public Appointments Scrutiny Committee. 

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici met the commission on Monday.  

The Venice Commission members were  Schnutz Durr, Richard Claytin, Kaarlo Tuori, Martin Kuijer, Herdis Kjerulf Thorgsdotteir and Myron Nicolatos.

The Venice Commission meeting the Labour Party delegation.