“The Assembly concludes that the Maltese authorities should start a process that would examine the need for Constitutional reform to improve its system of checks and balances, along the lines suggested in the Opinion of the Venice Commission of 17 December 2018. The Assembly also recognizes that such reforms have to be owned by the Maltese people themselves who, particularly in view of Malta's position as a long-standing sovereign state with a democratc system and an active member of the international community of democratic states, are well placed to evaluate the viability and effect of such reforms on the constitutional, political, legal, economic and administrative environment in Malta.
The Assembly encourages the Maltese Government to implement such reforms in consultation with European institutions."
The current wording of paragraph 4 is not justified and derives from speculative and one-sided media reports. They ignore pending Magisterial inquiries. Malta's track record as a long-standing democracy merits recognition and the sovereignty of the Maltese people in deciding upon constitutional change merits respect.