Parliamentary Ombudsman pays courtesy call to the new Speaker of the House

Parliamentary Ombudsman pays courtesy call to the new Speaker of the House

Published July 03, 2026

The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, paid a courtesy call to the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Carmelo Abela, at the start of the Speaker’s mandate.

During the meeting, the Ombudsman congratulated the Speaker on his appointment and expressed the Office’s commitment to continue strengthening the long-standing collaborative relationship between the Office of the Ombudsman, Parliament, and the Office of the Speaker.

The Ombudsman is an Officer of Parliament and plays an important role in promoting good administration, accountability, and fairness in the public service. Judge Zammit McKeon underlined that the relationship between the Office of the Ombudsman and Parliament is central to the independence, credibility, and effectiveness of the institution.

The Ombudsman also outlined a number of initiatives developed in collaboration with Parliament, including the annual thematic lecture held in the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives and joint outreach initiatives involving other parliamentary institutions.

During the meeting, Speaker Carmelo Abela underlined the important role of the Office of the Ombudsman as an institution that listens to citizens and strengthens trust between the public and State institutions. He expressed his appreciation for the Office's work in promoting greater fairness, accountability, and transparency in public administration, while reaffirming his commitment to continue strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the Office of the Ombudsman for the benefit of society.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman thanked the Speaker for the meeting and expressed his confidence that the positive institutional cooperation between the Office of the Ombudsman and Parliament will continue to develop further in the years ahead.

The meeting was also attended by the Clerk of the House, Ms Eleonor Scerri, and the Head of Communications and Research at the Office of the Ombudsman, Mr Jurgen Cassar.