It is becoming increasingly clear that Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg is not suited for her purpose.

Along with the police and the courts, the Attorney General is vested with the power to enforce the law. As former Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri warned in his last official speech before his retirement five years ago, if the three institutions fail to do their duty, the rule of law crumbles and the rule of offenders prevails.

Buttigieg has just been publicly denigrated by a Superior Court judge. Irritated by his refusal to produce certain documents in the context of a complaint of violation of rights, the judge expressed his “dismay” and his “grave concern” at his “intransigence” and his “flagrant failure”.

The Attorney General seems to have based his decision not to produce the “important” documents on legal provisions that the same judge deemed “anachronistic”.

Very harsh words for the holder of a public office who has the constitutional power and duty to initiate, undertake and stop criminal prosecutions.

This was not just a harsh rebuke to him.

Buttigieg, Malta’s first state solicitor, was appointed attorney general in September 2020 after his controversial former boss, Peter Grech, decided to retire.

The following summer, the public inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia clearly implied that, in the Electrogas scandal, she had put the interests of the government of the day ahead of those of the state. At the time, she was an assistant attorney general.

Emails found in a cache of leaked Electrogas data said she had accepted a proposal from the consortium’s legal team confirming that a minister could sign the deal without needing another cabinet approval or of parliament.

The Chamber of Advocates was “perplexed” by his appointment due to his lack of experience in criminal law.

Buttigieg, who has been a lawyer for more than two decades, holds a master’s degree in financial services and specializes in civil, administrative and constitutional law.

The decisions she has taken since her appointment seem to prove the chamber right.

In recent months, there have been a series of cases where the drawing up of indictments and certain requests before the courts, such as the freezing of the assets of an accused, have been criticized even by members of the power judicial.

Buttigieg has yet to explain what led his office to enter into a plea bargain that saw the very serious charge of attempted police murder of one of the two men charged in connection with the raid dropped armed unsuccessful June 2010 on HSBC Bank Malta. cash deposit in Qormi.

The man, however, failed to honor his part of the deal, refusing to come clean about the failed heist, insisting he would only talk about his co-defendant. Thus, the criminal took advantage of the deal, deceiving society in the process.

All thanks to decisions made by Buttigieg in his official capacity as Attorney General.

His latest, this time by omission, is not providing the police with permission to arrest notorious gaming consultant Iosif Galea, against whom a German arrest warrant was issued nearly 200 years ago. one year for tax evasion.

The Attorney General can only be removed from office by the President after parliament has voted, by at least a two-thirds majority, to request such removal on grounds of “proven inability” to perform their duties”.

At this point, it looks like Buttigieg should take a loftier path and step down. The GA’s office is way too big.