The Malta Police Union has criticised a decision to force police officers to vote in the upcoming general election a week before anyone else, saying that they had not been consulted on the matter.

Amendments to the General Elections Act enacted on 25 January mean that members of the police force must cast their vote seven days before the rest of the country goes to the polls.

The union said in a statement that it had neither been informed nor consulted on this matter.

“Why are Police Officers, once again being denied their full rights as citizens of this Country to vote after the electoral campaign closes, and after being given the time to reflect on their vote,” the union said.

“Is the vote of Police Officers being considered more important than the person behind that voting document?,” it added.

It is not known when Malta is going to go to the polls, but a mid-March election is a real possibility, particularly as Parliament will hold its final vote on the Budget on Wednesday – a vote which, once passed, would leave no obstacles in the way of Prime Minister Robert Abela dissolving parliament and calling the general election.