The Ombudsman, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon, received a courtesy call from the Ambassador of Italy to Malta, H.E. Fabrizio Romano.

The Ombudsman began the meeting by welcoming the Ambassador and explaining that such meetings with the Diplomatic Corps of prominent communities in Malta highlight that the Office of the Ombudsman serves not only Maltese citizens but also every person who might feel aggrieved by the Maltese public administration, including Italian nationals.

The Ambassador thanked the Ombudsman and explained that the Italian Embassy in Malta sometimes acts as a bridge with public authorities when encountering difficulties with the public administration. The opportunity to resort to the Ombudsman when these efforts do not succeed is an added avenue for resolving grievances.

The Ombudsman took the opportunity to update the Ambassador about the 13th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute, which he recently attended at The Hague, and explained the role of the Malta Ombudsman in both the European Regional Board and the World Board. The Ombudsman noted that during the week-long conference and meetings, the Office of the Ombudsman explored collaboration methods with counterpart institutions.

The meeting concluded with both parties commenting on the excellent long-standing relations between both countries and their people.