The Nationalist MPs on the parliamentary standards committee have insisted that the fight against impunity cannot go on holiday, and the committee should therefore discuss the Justyne Caruana case this week or the following.

Therese Comodini Cachia and Karol Aquilina have written to the Speaker, asking him to call a sitting of the committee without delay after Standards Commissioner George Hyzler found a breach of ethics and abuse of power when Education Minister Justyne Caruana awarded a contract to close friend Daniel Bognanovic.

The committee last week authorised publication of Hyzler's report but still needs to discuss whether to endorse it, and what to do about it.

"The situation should not be allowed to drag on into next year," the MPs said in a statement.  

"The fight against the culture of impunity which has gripped the country needs to be continued every day and in all circumstances, and it cannot stop for the holidays". 

They pointed out that in terms of the Constitution the government is accountable to parliament, and parliament is the watchdog over the executive.

Times of Malta reported on Tuesday that Speaker Anġlu Farrugia had proposed that the committee should meet on January 10, which would be about a month after the ethics probe was concluded.