I refer to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s column of 26th July, in which she made a number of comments concerning advocates.

Mrs Caruana Galizia is entitled to her views, but it remains a fact that the realities of Malta dictate that Members of Parliament are part-timers who earn a living outside the House. If individual Members choose to exercise their profession in order to earn a living, this is their affair and the Chamber of Advocates remains adamant that certain types of comment directed against advocates acting in the interests of their clients are a sign of political immaturity and a dilution of the rule of law. This is not to say that the Chamber is blind to the fact that politicians are always in the public eye and should behave accordingly even if they are advocates, but the way certain expectations are expressed by media pundits exceeds the limits of reasonableness.

It goes almost without saying, of course, that personal attacks on advocates acting in the performance of their duties towards their clients are only to be condemned, even if – and especially if – they are made with the benefit of Parliamentary privilege.

Chamber of Advocates

Andrew Borg-Cardona

President