Robert Abela should have kept his mask on while replying to journalists following the inauguration of Santa Lucia tunnels last October, but he did not breach ethics, the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life has ruled. 

The incident took place on October 23, when journalists approached the Prime Minister and he removed his facemask to answer questions.

This prompted the Institute of Maltese Journalists to say that the government was treating the law, journalists and health recommendations with "complete disrespect. 

According to a legal notice, the temporary removal of a face mask is permissible during official public speaking “provided that a physical distance of at least two metres between individuals is maintained”. The Office of the Prime Minister had said it was journalists who should keep a distance.

A complaint was meanwhile filed with Commissioner George Hyzler by Denis Tanti.

Removal of mask 'ironic'

Hyzler noted it was "ironic" that the Prime Minister had removed his mask to answer a question about the use of masks, but this in itself indicated that the incident was an oversight and it was not Abela’s intention to defy the regulations in any way.

In a report published on Thursday, Hyzler concluded that in the circumstances, the Prime Minister should have kept his mask on, even if this would have made it harder for him to be understood. Bearing in mind that Abela and his team were wearing masks continuously, the removal of his mask when faced with questions amounted to "minor negligence" and did not merit a finding of a breach of ethics.

The Commissioner dismissed the complaint.

"In such circumstances, it would be advisable for the Prime Minister’s staff to ask journalists to move back, and for the Prime Minister not to answer questions (should he wish to remove his facemask) until they were at a distance of two metres.

"On their part, journalists should keep the required distance and for this reason the use of microphones on poles was recommendable," he said.