The legal profession is a vocation based on expertise in the law and in its applications. Addressing the 114 lawyers who received their warrant this week, I highlighted the importance and responsibility this profession carries with it and encouraged them to follow the Code of Ethics and to behave in a serious and responsible manner as they are now representing a crucial sector in our country – justice.

It worthy to note that 68 of the 114 lawyers are female. I congratulated them for their hard work.

I also reminded all present about the fact that the government is committed to enhance and its work to strengthen the judicial sector and for it to be truly of service to citizens more efficiently.

Works at the Law Courts vary from bettering the ambience, the infrastructure and ongoing upgrading of services to the implementation of reforms within the sector.

In fact, one of the major upgrades I announced recently is the project to improve the Court’s IT infrastructure – an investment of nearly half a million euro. However these would have a lesser value if reforms to better the system are not also implemented.

Major reforms have also been carried out within the justice sector which will continue to strengthen this crucial sector in our country. Every one of them was a step forward in strengthening our rule of law and democracy: the barring of prescription on crimes of corruption done by politicians, the media and defamation law, the strengthening of the Commission of the Administration of Justice and the setting up of the Asset Recovery Bureau.

We have increased the sessions in the Court of Appeal, and improved the efficiency analysis system within this fundamental pillar of our country.

Last year we also witnessed the appointment of a new Chief Justice, and the appointment of three new magistrates and three new judges, which led us to a historic event – a first for our country: the judiciary is now mainly made up of females, 23 women and 22 men. This is a very positive achievement when we note that six years back only 35% of judges were women.

Again, I congratulate all the new warranted lawyers and augur that through their professionalism, help and work, they can be part of this holistic justice reform.

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Keeping on the subject, following the Government’s announcement that it would begin the implementation process of changes in our legal system suggested by the Venice Commission, this week I kick-started the required legislative processes on five separate bills concerning the Attorney General, Police, Constitutional Commissions, the Ombudsman and the Public Service.

The fact that this Government is acting on the changes suggested by the Venice Commission in less than 100 days from their publication is a clear sign of the commitment and determination that this Government has to continue to carry out major legislative reforms.

With these reforms we are changing laws which this Government has inherited from previous administrations, some of which have been part of our country’s legal system for decades if not centuries.

The bills presented on Monday account for a third of the changes recommended by the Venice Commission and will complement a number of reforms already implemented by this Government.

Government is committed to see the approval of the bill aimed at separating the advisory and prosecutorial roles of the Attorney General, through all parliamentary stages before the summer recess. The Attorney General has held this dual role since 1936.

The aim is to have the other changes mentioned, by the end of the current calendar year.  Most of them require the approval of two-thirds of members of Parliament.

Our commitment is to further strengthen Rule of Law, and continue with positive and necessary legal reforms to ensure that Maltese citizens live in a society where democracy and human rights are respected and safeguarded.

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On a totally different note, our own ftira (flattened sourdough bread) and its culinary art will be the first submission as the first local element to be part of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

In 2017, Parliament approved that Malta ratifies the UNESCO convention on intangible cultural heritage. Through this ratification, Malta can now propose intangible elements from our culture and submitted for UNESCO’s consideration for them to be part of the world’s heritage.

Our work will definitely intensify in the coming months, where we will see a number of initiatives which will keep broadening and strengthening this important element from our local culture. This is all part of this Government’s strategy, where through a number of specific initiatives, we further strengthen and promote our culture on an international and national level. Such recognition will lead to more national pride with regards to our intangible cultural heritage.

For the process to be initiated, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Board was appointed to receive nominations from the local communities and a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory was created. Seven elements have been included in this inventory to-date.

From these seven, it was decided that the ftira and its Maltese culinary art would be submitted for UNESCO’s consideration to form a part of this global list, which can lead to prestigious recognition and even for this art to be protected and to be given the impetus it deserves.

The process required the involvement of those who work in this field, meaning bakers, especially those who still bake the ftira in an artisanal manner. The public’s support has also been sought, as for a nomination to be submitted there must be the public’s involvement and approval for the element in question to represent our country to form part of the world’s heritage.

I encourage organisations and the local community to cherish our local intangible heritage, so that in the coming years more elements from our cultural heritage will be nominated for UNESCO’s consideration.