DIRETTIVA TAL- KAMRA TAL-AVUKATI CORONAVIRUS COVID – 19
Wara diversi laqgħat u tentattivi da parti tal-Kamra tal-Avukati mal-awtoritajiet konċernati biex jittieħdu l-miżuri preventivi neċessarji minnufih fil-Qrati tagħna bħala mezz ulterjuri ta’ kontroll u limitazzjoni fil-ġlieda kontra l-mxijja tal-Virus COVID-19, jidher illi s’issa l-Gvern għadu mhux qiegħed iqis tali miżuri bħala neċessarji.
Il-Kamra ma taqbilx – u hija tal-fehma li, bħala post pubbliku, fil-Qrati tagħna jaggregaw ruħhom numru konsiderevoli ta’ nies kuljum, mhux biss fl-awli iżda wkoll fil-kurituri tal-Qrati. L-attività fil-Qrati hija propju avveniment pubbliku ta’ kuljum u għandu jiġi ndirizzat minnufih biex tiġi evitata l-interazzjoni ta’nies li hija l-aktar mezz komuni ta’ kif jista’ jinxtered l-istess Virus.
Il-Kamra hija tal-fehma illi l-pożizzjoni preżenti mhix waħda idoneja biex tiġi salvagwardjata is-saħħa ta’ kull min huwa involut fosthom avukati, ġudikanti, impjegati tal-Qorti u l-pubbliku in ġenerali u din is-sitwazzjoni għandha tiġi ndirizzata b’manjiera deċiża u immedjatament.
Għalhekk il-Kamra qeda toħroġ direttiva lill-avukati kollha biex b’effett mis-16 ta’ Marzu 2020, ebda avukat m’għandu jattendi f’ebda Qorti jew Tribunal ieħor sakemm tingħata direttiva differenti. Dan bl-eċċezzjoni ta’ sitwazzjonijiet inevitabbli u biex jottemperaw ruħhom ma’ termini legali għall-preżentata t’atti ġudizzjarji.
Il-Kamra tal-avukati tispera illi l-awtoritajiet kompetenti jgħarfu jintervjenu biex jieħdu l-miżuri effettivi u immedjati biex tiġi sospiża kull attività fil-Qrati qabel nhar it-Tnejn 16 ta’ Marzu.
Il-Kamra tal-avukati ser tibqa f’kuntatt kontinwu mal-awtoritajiet tal-Qorti biex issegwi żviluppi fis-sitwazzjoni u ser tkun qegħda taġġorna lill-avukati permezz ta’ annunċji fuq il-website.
Data ta’ llum 13 ta’ Marzu 2020
CHAMBER OF ADVOCATES DIRECTIVE ON CORONAVIRUS (COVID–19)
After a series of meetings and attempts by the Chamber of Advocates with the authorities to immediately take the necessary preventive measures in our Courts to control and limit the potential risks from the COVID-19 virus, it seems that to date, Government is not considering such measures as necessary.
The Chamber is against this – as it believes that as a public space, our Law Courts tend to attract large numbers of people on a daily basis, not only inside the courtrooms but even in the common areas of the building. Activity inside the Courts of Justice is deemed as daily public activity and this issue needs to be addressed in order to minimise human interactions that could contribute further to the spread of this virus.
The Chamber believes that the current situation is not the ideal one to protect the health of all those involved including lawyers, the judiciary, the Court employees and the general public and this situation needs to be addressed in an immediate and decisive manner.
This has now prompted the Chamber to issue this directive to all lawyers so that with effect from Monday 16th March 2020, no lawyer should attend any Court or Tribunal sitting until a different directive is issued. With the exception of inevitable situations and in order to comply with legal time frames for the filing of judicial acts.
The Chamber of Advocates hopes that the competent authorities will intervene so that effective and immediate measures are taken to suspend all activity inside the Courts before Monday the 16th of March.
The Chamber of Advocates is going to remain in constant contact with the authorities and the Courts to follow how this situation will develop and will be updating all lawyers accordingly, through announcements on its website www.avukati.org
13th March 2020
