PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

The President of Malta hereby notifies that:

Following the public call on the 5^th of August 2025 by the Minister for Justice and Construction Sector Reform, Dr Jonathan Attard, for the appointment of two new Magistrates, and two new Judges, for which applications had to be received by the 26^th of August 2025, on the 10^th of October 2025 I was given a Report in terms of Article 96A (6) (d) of the Constitution of Malta also dated the 10^th of October 2025 issued by the Committee on Judicial Appointments established by Article 96 A of the Constitution of Malta: this following a meeting of the same Committee held on the 5^th of October 2025 where twenty (20) expressions of interest for the appointment of two Magistrates were evaluated.

This Report submitted for my consideration the names of three candidates who according to the report were the most suitable and from these three names the President shall select one in accordance with Article 96 A (6) (d) of the Constitution of Malta.

The three names submitted in alphabetical order were:

1. Agius Franco

2. Bianco Ingrid, and

3. Valentino Patrick

From these three names I chose that of Agius Franco.

On the 16^th of October 2025 I informed the Committee that in accordance with the same Article 96 A (6) (d) I choose:

Agius Franco

Subsequently on the twentieth of October 2025 the Secretary of the Committee presented me with a second detailed Report, also emanating from this Report from a sitting of the fourth of October 2025 with the names in accordance with Article 96 A (6) (d) of the Constitution of Malta of three candidates who in the opinion of the Committee were the most suitable and deserving.

The names in alphabetical order were as follows:

1. Bianco Ingrid

2. Valentino Patrick, and

3. Zammit Claudio

The choice from these three names in accordance with the same Article 96 A (6) (d) of the Constitution of Malta is:

Bianco Ingrid

Whereas in accordance with Article 100 (1) of the Constitution Magistrates of the Inferior Courts are appointed by the President acting on recommendations made by the Judicial Appointments Committee established by Article 96 A of the Constitution, the President appoints, in alphabetical order, the following persons to serve as Magistrates of the Inferior Courts:

Agius Franco

Bianco Ingrid

The names of the Candidates who in the opinion of the Judicial Appointments Committee were suitable and meritorious and who were submitted for selection by the President in accordance with the procedure established by Article 96 A (6) (d) and who are expected to be published in accordance with the same Article are those which appear above in this statement.

It is hereby declared that the appointment of two Magistrates in accordance with the public call issued by the Minister for Justice and Construction Sector Reform on the fifth of August 2025 has been fulfilled and exhausted.

The President congratulates the newly appointed Magistrates and thanks the members of the Judicial Appointments Committee for the meticulous work they have carried out.

Today Thursday 23^rd October 2025