The justice minister's claims that the government is acting transparently in following up the public inquiry into the circumstances of Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination are false, the foundation set up in the name of the late journalist said on Saturday.

The Daphne foundation said the government has repeatedly refused to publish the latest report drafted by the Committee of Experts on Media and is ignoring the public inquiry’s recommendations concerning rule of law, unexplained wealth, and organised crime.

Minister Jonathan Attard presented draft legislation to reporters at a press conference on September 28, 2022, just one week ahead of rushing the draft legislation through a first reading in parliament.

There was no consultation with journalists beforehand and there has been none since, the foundation said in a statement.

Attard’s recent claim that there had been “wide consultation” is grossly exaggerated.

The bills presented by the government in parliament last October have not been withdrawn even though they fail to meet international standards and it has not yet published updated legal proposals.

"Any new draft legislation is hidden from public view, including from the very people – journalists – those 'legal changes' are meant to protect from harm. Almost a year after tabling substandard legislation in parliament, Malta’s government has still not publicly committed to publishing a White Paper to open up the process of legal reforms to public consultation," the foundation said.