Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, speaking in Parliament on Monday evening on the Ministry’s budget estimates for 2026, revealed that a promise of sale agreement had been signed by the Government on a building that will house the new Gozo Court.

The Minister said that more details will be provided in the “coming days.” He claimed that previous PN administrations had swept the problem of a new Court building in Gozo “under the rug,” but that this Government is taking the step to resolve it.

Earlier in the day during a press conference, the Minister explained how the Government is allocating the “largest ever budget” in the field of the Justice and Construction Sector Reform, totalling to more than €93 million. Meaning, an 11% increase over the last year. There was no mention then of the proposal for Gozo.

During a walk about for media members at the Courts of Justice, Minister Attard referred to an unprecedented investment in our Court system which is continuously leading to more specialisation.

Attard stated that, “this year, the Court Services Agency, when compared to last year, has an 8% increase in their financial allocation. This investment is bringing substantial improvements in infrastructure, modernisation and better accessibility in services for the general public.”

Minister Attard also referred to legislative reforms, including the reform of Magisterial Inquiries. This reform has resulted in greater specialisation, with four magistrates exclusively dedicated to this reform. Since the creation of this section in 2024 up to till end of August this year, 1,251 inquiries were filed and more than 830 were concluded, resulting in a clearance rate of over 65%.

Minister Attard emphasised that this modernisation is not only limited to infrastructure. “With additional investment in human resources, direct services to citizens have also expanded. The helpdesk service, launched in 2024, has already assisted 886 people who physically visited the Courts to seek information and guidance about their procedures.”

“This service is providing immediate answers and is addressing one of the public’s biggest frustrations, the lack of information about where they should go and what stage their case has reached,” said Minister Attard.

When it comes to technology and digitalisation, the Minister highlighted the investment made in both the control room and in the internal systems, improving coordination and strengthening security, with efficient results in the day-to-day operations.

He said that almost €2 million have been invested in a brand new audio system in all courtrooms in Malta and Gozo, ensuring more secure and reliable recordings. The new CMIS system will centralise case management and improve the distribution of cases among judiciary members.

The Minister concluded, by thanking all court employees, members of the Judiciary, lawyers and legal procurators for their hard work, and reiterated that the Government will continue to invest in the judicial system in order to raise its standards, efficiency and accessibility for all citizens in Malta and Gozo.

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