Darren Carabott Urges Carmelo Abela To Remove Parliament Barriers

Nationalist MP Darren Carabott has renewed calls for the barriers outside Malta’s Parliament to be removed, saying they make the entrance to Valletta “look ugly” and send the wrong message.

In a post shared on social media, Carabott revealed that he has already raised the issue with Speaker of the House Carmelo Abela, who recently took on the role.

“I understand that he has only been there for a few days, but I was happy to see that he seems willing to carry out various meetings to see what can be done about them,” Carabott said.

The MP explained that he has been pushing for the barriers’ removal for the past four years but was consistently told they were necessary for security reasons.

“I understand, but there have to be better methods,” he said.

Carabott argued that the barriers create an unnecessary divide between Parliament and the public.

“In my opinion, they make the entrance to Valletta look ugly and deliver the wrong message,” he wrote.

Drawing a comparison with election campaigns, he added: “This is the contradiction: when we go to knock on people’s doors to ask for votes, we’re not afraid. Do they install a barrier on their front door?”

“We should not have barriers stopping the Maltese people from accessing our Parliament. We need another solution.”

The barriers surrounding Parliament have long been a point of public debate, with supporters arguing they are necessary for security and critics saying they undermine the openness and accessibility of Malta’s highest democratic institution.

What do you think? Should the barriers outside Parliament stay or go?

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Gabriel Falzon

Gabriel Falzon is a social media executive at Lovin Malta, with a keen interest in digital media, local businesses, and the natural world. Outside of work, you’ll often find him baking up a storm, diving into video games, or exploring the endless corners of YouTube.