The Ombudsman presents the Ombudsplan 2027 to the Speaker of the House

The Ombudsman presents the Ombudsplan 2027 to the Speaker of the House

Published September 10, 2026

The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, presented the Ombudsplan 2027 to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Carmelo Abela.  The Ombudsplan sets out the priorities and activities of the Office of the Ombudsman for the coming year and will be tabled in Parliament in accordance with the Ombudsman Act.

A central theme of the Ombudsplan 2027 is the effectiveness of the Ombudsman’s recommendations and the responsibility of public authorities to engage meaningfully with the findings of the Office.  The Ombudsman reiterates that, although his recommendations are not legally binding, public bodies cannot disregard them without accountability.  Where a recommendation is not accepted, the public authority should provide reasons which can themselves be examined in terms of their factual basis, legality, rationality and consistency with the principles of good administration.

The Ombudsman maintains that the effectiveness of the institution depends on structured dialogue between the Office and public authorities.  When maladministration is identified, a public body may disagree with the remedy proposed, but such disagreement should be reasoned and open to scrutiny.  The Ombudsplan draws on practices in other jurisdictions where public authorities are similarly expected to explain why the Ombudsman’s recommendations have not been implemented.

The Ombudsplan once again calls for the establishment of a Select Committee of the House of Representatives to consider final opinions containing recommendations which remain unimplemented.  The Office proposes that the Standing Orders of the House should provide for such reports to be referred to a parliamentary committee capable of examining the matter and holding the public administration to account.

The Office also renews its call for the right to good administration to be given domestic legal recognition.  This would include the right of persons to have their affairs handled impartially, fairly and within a reasonable time, the right to be heard before an adverse measure is taken, access to files concerning them and an obligation on public bodies to provide reasons for their decisions.

Another major area addressed in the Ombudsplan 2027 is the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, particularly the Screening Regulation.  The Regulation provides for an Independent Screening Mechanism to oversee respect for fundamental rights during the screening of persons at the EU’s external borders and specifically provides for the participation of national Ombudspersons and national human rights institutions.  The Ombudsman notes that, following correspondence with the Ministry for Home Affairs and Security, the Office had not, by the date of presentation of the Ombudsplan, been informed of the appointment of Malta’s mechanism or invited to participate in its operations.  The Office will continue to pursue the matter.

The Ombudsplan further reiterates proposals which remain outstanding, including the suspension of prescription while an investigation by the Ombudsman is under way, the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution and the incorporation of Protocol No. 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights into Maltese law.

The performance review accompanying the Ombudsplan shows continued growth in the public’s use of the Office.  Between January and August 2026, 403 complaints were received, an increase of 4% over the corresponding period in 2025.

The increase in requests for assistance was considerably stronger.  During the same eight-month period, the Office assisted 684 persons whose concerns did not necessarily result in a formal complaint, representing an increase of 36% over the previous year.  The Office considers this sustained increase in public contact an indication of greater awareness of its services and growing confidence in the institution as an accessible source of guidance and assistance.

The Ombudsplan 2027 will be discussed at a later date by the House Business Committee.