Miriam Dalli has apologised for a “partisan” government statement issued by her ministry following a probe by the standards commissioner.

The probe by commissioner Joseph Azzopardi found that the energy minister breached the ministerial code of ethics by allowing the "partisan" statement to be issued.

In a report published on Friday, the commissioner agreed with a complaint filed by the Nationalist Party in February over a press statement issued by Dalli’s ministry via the government’s Department of Information (DOI).

The statement hit back at criticism by the PN about projects led by Dalli’s ministry.

“Contrary to this government, Nationalist administrations abandoned the Cottonera area and never truly looked to provide environmental projects in these localities,” the February statement reads.  

Dalli argued that the statement was meant to provide factual information about various projects in the south of Malta, and comparisons were drawn with the situation under PN governments.

She apologised if the "tone" of the statement had been viewed as partisan.

In his report, Azzopardi highlighted recommendations made by his predecessor George Hyzler on the need for a policy governing DOI statements.

The commissioner said the DOI should be able to refuse to publish government statements that go against this policy.

Reacting to the report, the PN accused the government of dragging its feet in drawing up the recommended policy.