The Ombudsman interviewed on RTK103: Discussing a year of progress and future goals

On Saturday, 13 July 2024, Parliamentary Ombudsman Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon was a guest on the radio programme hosted by Prof. Andrew Azzopardi on RTK103. The programme was aslo streamed on newsbook.com.mt. During the interview, Judge Zammit McKeon discussed the Annual Report presented to Parliament in the past few days, elaborated on the initiatives made by the Office of the Ombudsman over the past year, and outlined his vision for the future.

Judge Zammit McKeon explained how, during his first year as Ombudsman, he prioritised bringing the institution closer to the public, particularly to those most in need who have fallen through the system. He stressed that the Office of the Ombudsman is not an obstacle to public administration but an instrument for ensuring justice, transparency, and quality service delivery.

The Office of the Ombudsman has adopted a proactive stance, initiating investigations when it notices injustices and conducting outreach to people who might need the assistance of the institution in resolving their grievances. This proactive approach has yielded tangible results, with a 25% increase in complaints and an 83% increase in public assistance compared to the previous twelve months. Up to June this year, the office has handled 302 cases and assisted 393 individuals.

When asked about areas for future improvement, the Ombudsman noted that while the current Ombudsman Law is robust, there are areas for enhancement. One of his key goals is for Parliament to discuss the Ombudsman’s reports, especially when recommendations are not accepted. The Speaker of Parliament has agreed with this proposal, and discussions with parliamentary whips are ongoing to establish a dedicated parliamentary committee for these reports.

Judge Zammit McKeon also mentioned the Right to Good Administration in Article 41 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, stating that the time is ripe to include this right in domestic law and potentially in Malta’s Constitution. The Office of the Ombudsman kickstarted this discussion last October during an international Ombudsman conference that brought together Ombudsmen from Europe and the Mediterranean and local experts to discuss the subject.

The Ombudsman emphasised the need for a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI). Malta is one of the few EU and Council of Europe countries without an NHRI. The Office of the Ombudsman has proposed amendments to its law to expand its mandate to cover human rights, rather than creating a new entity. The Office of the Ombudsman has applied and been accepted as an Associate Member of the European Network of Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI). This membership will help the Office of the Ombudsman in proposing amendments to the Ombudsman Act to be in line with the Paris Principles. The Office of the Ombudsman is working on these amendments that will be presented to the Government, the Ombudsman concluded.