President designate George Vella is expected to take over from his predecessor, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, the helm of the constitutional reform steering committee, Times of Malta has learnt.
The former foreign affairs minister had apparently set such a role as a condition for accepting to become President, sources said.
The steering committee is tasked with laying out the ground work ahead of a highly-anticipated reform of the Constitution.
President Coleiro Preca had previously signalled her intention to continue chairing the committee after she leaves office on April 4, telling the media this was what she expected to happen.
Ms Coleiro Preca was coy when asked about the matter on Wednesday: “I think we should let the government communicate its decision on this. I’m sure we will hear about this matter soon enough.”
Watch: Constitutional reform committee to handle reform
The President would not comment further saying she preferred not to weigh in on the matter.
I think we should let the government communicate its decision on this
Dr Vella’s nomination was announced by the government on Tuesday.
The government statement and a tweet by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat on Dr Vella’s nomination did not refer to President Coleiro Preca’s role at the helm of the constitutional convention steering committee.
Read: Calls for referendum on Constitutional reform.
A lobby group on Wednesday urged the President not to support and endorse constitutional changes proposed by the political parties as that could put the presidency in confrontation with others who might be in disagreement.
NGO Repubblika insisted that constitutional change could not be the product of “inter-party consensus after a closed-door horse-trading exchange”. Instead, reform should be led by citizens, rather than political parties, who, the group warned, could fear losing part of their hold on the country.
The NGO, which is focused on rule of law matters, said that if Dr Vella intended to lead the process of defining constitutional reform, it had a “grave concern” that political parties could be moving towards consolidating their powers.
“George Vella may have all the good intentions in the world and we wish him every success in his new role,” the NGO said.
“But, independently of his character, his record, his political affiliations and the wholesomeness of his intentions, we are dismayed by the prospect that a President could assume, while in office, a political role taking the sides of political parties against civil society in the crafting of Malta’s basic law and the fundamental rules of democratic life in Malta.”