The opposition has accused the government of trying to delay the publication of a report by the Standards Commissioner that appears to have found an ethics breach by two ministers.
The report can only be published following agreement on a publication date by the parliamentary standards committee, which is composed of two MPs each from the government and the opposition and the Speaker.
The report was handed to the committee last week by commissioner Joseph Azzopardi. It followed an investigation into a workplace transfer for Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo's secretary (now his wife) to the Gozo Ministry, headed by Clint Camilleri.
While the report has not been made public and details about its findings are thin on the ground, the referral is in itself a sign that the commissioner found evidence of misconduct by at least one of the two ministers.
The standards commissioner conducted the investigation following a complaint by independent politician Arnold Cassola based on a report by The Shift into Amanda Muscat’s workplace arrangements back in February 2022.
Muscat was reportedly quietly transferred to Camilleri’s Gozo Ministry but in reality did not really work there.
Under the Standards in Public Life Act, the parliamentary committee is only given copies of reports that find evidence of some form of ethical breach.
Opposition MPs Mark Anthony Sammut and Ryan Callus have claimed that their government counterparts - Jonathan Attard and Andy Ellul - have been delaying a meeting of the committee because the report makes their colleagues look bad.
But in a reply to questions on Tuesday, Attard and Ellul told Times of Malta that the delay was only owing to budget-related engagements inside and outside parliament.
MPs, Speaker must agree to publish report
Parliament's Standards in Public Life Committee meets to discuss reports by the Standards Commissioner and can discipline those involved.
Sammut said the Opposition MPs and the Speaker had suggested several dates for a meeting of the committee.
"Bear in mind, this would be a ten-minute meeting, and ironically, the two MPs who work in politics full-time could not find the time for it. It was us, the part-time PN MPs, who were willing to accommodate any availability."
November 7
On Tuesday afternoon, shortly after Times of Malta sent them questions about the delay, the two government MPs said they were available for a meeting on November 7.
A spokesperson for Jonathan Attard told Times of Malta both MPs had confirmed their availability to the Speaker.
"Their availabilities reflect their respective agendas during these crucial days related to the presentation of the budget, the opposition’s response, and the government’s counter-reply," the spokesperson said.