The Office of the Attorney-General is facing a personnel crisis as it struggles to find experienced and skilled lawyers who could take on big cases such as the incoming case of 17 Black that is related to bribes over the Electrogas project. The Office of the Attorney General lost two of its most senior lawyers in the previous years with the departure of Philip Galea Farrugia (now a Magistrate) and the death of Karl Muscat, who was one of Malta’s top prosecutors against organised criminals.
Over the past year, the Office of the Attorney General welcomed several new hires, many of whom are in their twenties and have a background linked to the Labour Party. Many of these new hires have a very civil-service mentality to their job, and lack the passion and will to fight crime. Some of them still have their social media profiles with their public photos with their friends still online. Prosecutors are expected to practice discretion apart from avoiding social and public events similar to the judiciary.
The Minister of Justice Jonathan Attard has been stating that the government is strengthening the Office of the Attorney-General, however the Office still lacks experienced lawyers and an evident public resolve to fight organised crime. The Attorney General herself, Viktoria Buttigieg has rarely if ever stepped into a court room to fight a case.
The Attorney General is currently holding discussions with Prime Minister Robert Abela.
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