Abela praises new family court reform, Borg says changes should be ‘more courageous’

Prime Minister Robert Abela praised the government’s proposed Family Court reforms, describing them as measures aimed primarily at strengthening and protecting families, particularly children caught in separation proceedings, while Opposition Leader Alex Borg said that the reform should be “more courageous.”

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday evening, Abela said that while the government has introduced numerous incentives to reinforce the “nucleus of the family,” it recognises that some marriages and relationships inevitably fail. The reform, he explained, is designed to address these realities in a more structured and supportive manner.

Highlighting mediation as the cornerstone of the changes, Abela said the process will be strengthened significantly. He also announced that the family court will have its own dedicated building, providing much-needed privacy for sensitive cases – something he noted had been lacking in the past.

Under the reform, the government will cover the cost of psychologists and other specialists to assist couples in reconciliation efforts. Another key measure is the introduction of lawyers representing children during mediation proceedings to safeguard the interests of minors.

Drawing on his experience as a practising lawyer, Abela said he had witnessed cases where children were infants when separation proceedings began and adults by the time they concluded.

“All they remember are their parents fighting,” he said, stressing the need to shorten what he described as a delicate and emotionally taxing process.

Abela said the reform seeks to formalise the principle that children need the presence of both parents in their lives, with the protection of children’s rights placed at the forefront. He acknowledged that drafting the reform was challenging due to conflicting interests but expressed confidence that the government had struck a fair balance for families navigating separation.

Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg also addressed Parliament’s plenary session, and called for stronger measures within the proposed reform, warning that the changes risk being “good on paper but weak in practice” if key concerns are not addressed.

While describing the reform as a positive step forward, Borg said the main difficulty arises in cases involving allegations of domestic violence. He questioned how the boundaries between the family court and the criminal court would be clearly defined, noting that the family court is responsible for decisions on access, custody, and other day-to-day family matters.

Borg argued that the reform should be “more courageous,” particularly in situations where overlapping legal processes create confusion. He warned that lengthy court procedures – sometimes taking up to a year – leave children caught in uncertainty and emotional strain.

“The lives of children should not be consumed by needless bureaucracy,” he said, stressing that families want clarity and justice, not unexpected complications. He urged lawmakers to ensure that the reform delivers practical improvements rather than theoretical promises.

Borg also said that the law must also include clear guidelines on maintenance – something that is currently lacking, saying that clarity in guidelines in this area would provide greater peace of mind for families.

RSS Feed Source: Independent Malta Abela praises new family court reform, Borg says changes should be ‘more courageous’