A parliamentary committee has been summoned to consider the findings of an investigation into the lavish gifts that entrepreneur Yorgen Fenech had given to Joseph Muscat as prime minister.
The conclusions of the probe, concluded on Wednesday by Standards Commissioner George Hyzler, have not been published.
The urgency of the move suggests there could be prima facie evidence of an ethics breach by Muscat, as by law in such cases, the committee must be summoned.
The commissioner had been asked to look into the matter last December by independent candidate Arnold Cassola, after it emerged that Fenech had gifted Muscat three bottles of Pétrus – a premier Bordeaux red wine – costing about €5,800 in all.
The expensive gifts were presented to the former prime minister in February last year, during a private party which Muscat had thrown at his official summer residence in Girgenti Palace. The party took place a few months before Fenech was charged in connection with the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Chaired by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia, the Parliamentary Committee for Standards in Public Life consists of two members each from government and opposition.
According to Article 22 of the Standards in Public Life Act, if the commissioner finds prima facie evidence of a breach in the law, ethical duties, or abuse of power, the matter shall be referred to this committee for sanctioning.
Any other measure the House may deem fit
By law, if this committee finds the MP guilty of a breach, it may recommend that the House should direct the member to rectify any breach; demand an apology in writing to the committee; demand an apology by way of a personal statement in parliament; demand the repayment of or payment for resources improperly used or recommend that the House take any other measure it may deem fit.
In any case, the committee may recommend that the House directs the person being investigated to rectify the breach.
If the committee does not take the commissioner’s conclusions on board, it must outline its reasons.
Much will depend on the recommendations themselves which, for the first time, have not been made public.
Parliamentary sources told Times of Malta that this was allowed under a memorandum, approved by the committee soon after its establishment in January 2019, which says there might be circumstances in which the publication of the report can be withheld.
Aggrieved by this decision, Cassola sought an explanation from the commissioner, who replied saying it was up to the committee to decide whether to publish his report or not.
Apart from the expensive wines, Fenech had gifted Muscat a limited edition white gold Bvlgari watch worth tens of thousands of euros as a Christmas present in 2014, and another watch, valued at around €2,000, on a separate occasion.