President to be sworn in today - ceremonial role with crucial duties in case of crisis

George Vella will be sworn in as Malta’s tenth President in a special sitting of the House of Representatives on Thursday at noon. A resolution for his appointment was approved by the Labour and Nationalist members of parliament on Tuesday. The ceremony will be preceded by Mass led by Archbishop Charles Scicluna at 10am at St John’s Co-Cathedral. Dr Vella will then walk to the Palace, where the parliamentary sitting will be held in the Grand Council Chamber. Upon her arrival, outgoing President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca will inspect a Guard of Honour formed by the Armed Forces of Malta on St George’s Square. Soon after the parliamentary sitting starts, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia will pause proceedings to escort Dr Vella into the chamber. He will then administer the oath of office. The AFM will fire a salute from Pope Pius V Street in Valletta. The new President will read a proclamation declaring that he has assumed the new duties and will then deliver his inaugural address. At the end of the ceremony he will greet the crowd from the Palace balcony. Four helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft of the AFM will perform a fly-past, weather permitting. The new President’s first official...