Ombudsman presents Ombudsplan 2026 to Parliament
Published September 04, 2025
Ombudsman presents Ombudsplan 2026 to Parliament
Published September 04, 2025
The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, presented the Ombudsplan 2026 to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Anglu Farrugia. The document will be tabled in Parliament on the 15th September and later discussed during a special sitting of the House Business Committee.
The Ombudsplan is the annual policy and financial framework of the Office of the Ombudsman. It sets out the Office’s objectives for the coming year, highlights systemic challenges within the public administration, and includes the request for funding required to support the institution’s work.
Ombudsplan 2026 notes that complaints lodged with the Office increased by 4% and assistance given to the public also rose by 4%, clear results of stronger outreach efforts and growing trust in the institution.
It stresses the duty of public bodies to act fairly, transparently, and with accountability, and underlines the importance of compliance with Article 22(1) of the Ombudsman Act. The document reiterates the need for reforms that ensure recommendations are properly considered, including the establishment of a Parliamentary Select Committee on Public Administration to give structured follow-up to the Ombudsman’s reports.
The Ombudsman also renews his call for the transposition of the right to good administration, as recognised in Article 41 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, into Maltese law. The plan highlights the need to incorporate Protocol No. 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights into national legislation to strengthen protection against discrimination and proposes reforms to suspend prescription periods while complaints are under investigation. It further advocates for the recognition of the Office of the Ombudsman as Malta’s National Human Rights Institution, in line with international standards.
Judge Zammit McKeon emphasised that the Ombudsplan is not simply a request for financial resources but a roadmap to improve governance in Malta. He noted that the Ombudsman serves as a bridge between persons and the state, and that Ombudsplan 2026 outlines how this constitutional Office intends to uphold fairness, improve standards of public administration, and strengthen the protection of people’s rights.
The Ombudsplan also reaffirms the international role of the Office of the Ombudsman, which actively contributes to the work of the Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen, the European Ombudsman Network, and the International Ombudsman Institute.
The Office expressed confidence that the proposals contained in Ombudsplan 2026 will be given the serious consideration they merit, consolidating the Ombudsman’s constitutional mandate and ensuring the resources required to fulfil it in the year ahead.
