With effect from last Thursday, Gozitan lawyers started strike action by not attending the hearings held in the Gozo Court.

In a statement on Saturday, the lawyers said that despite the fact that two days have passed since the start of the action, there has still been no official response from the Court Services Agency, Ministry of Justice or of any other responsible entity.

“This kind of attitude does not bode well for the situation of the courts and the Judiciary, the lawyers and all those who resort to the service of the courts,” the lawyers said.

These shortcomings have already been brought to the attention of the Agency and the Ministries involved not only by lawyers who practice before the Gozo Court – in particular through the action taken last June, but also by members of the Judiciary themselves, the lawyers said.

The lawyers said that “these shortcomings are hampering the justice process while causing great frustration for all those who need to go to court, for Judges, for the staff of the court, for the lawyers and as can be seen from the minutes of the sitting magistrates, even in the members of the judiciary themselves.”

The lawyers argued that, “unfortunately it seems that these minutes and other communications seem to have fallen on deaf ears because the situation has not only not improved, it has worsened.”

The lawyers thanked the President of the Chamber of Advocates for his address at the opening of the forensic year, when he “clearly referred to what is happening in the Courts in Gozo and showed solidarity with colleagues in Gozo.”

This solidarity with the Gozitan lawyers, was reflected by the Maltese lawyers with cases in Gozo, who also didn’t attend the hearings, “not only and with respect and support for the cause being promoted by Gozitan lawyers but also because they realised that the situation of the Gozo court is unsustainable, the lawyers said.

“The situation of the Gozo Court should be addressed urgently, seriously and actions should be concrete and not limited to changes or cosmetic improvements,” the lawyers said.

The lawyers stated that, “the Gozo court, the judiciary, practising lawyers in Gozo and citizens who resort to the Gozo Courts Service deserve better and should not be treated inferiorly.”

The lawyers concluded by saying that, “accordingly we are determined to continue with these actions until the necessary solutions are found.”

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