TNAG-0652-FCO40-801-Planning-Staff-papers-on-human-rights-and-foreign-policy-cou-1977 — Page 142

CONFIDENTIAL

MALTA (continued)

(vi)

(vii)

preliminary and not very important round. The Government promptly recon- stituted the Court, replacing two senior judges by two judges better disposed towards the Government. The Opposition then withdraw their case rather than press it to an unsuccessful end.

Comment by Southern European Department.

We consider the independence of the judiciary likely to be further eroded in the next few years and the assessment figure of "4" will probably rise to "6".

While there is freedom to join the trade unions and workers' rights have been safe- guarded constitutionally and in practice up till now, the MLP Government recently introduced a bill which could be used to infringe the rights of workers to fair arbitration of industrial disputes.

The only trade union of any significance, the General Workers Union (GWU), is influenced by the Prime Minister through several officials in the union with strong allegiance to him. Despite being closely allied to the MLP governing party the GWU have managed to retain their separate identity. This situation has not in the past operated against the interest of individuals to any noteworthy extent, but the Government could abuse the powerful position they have achieved.

There are no restrictions on emigration.

CONFIDENTIAL