Standards Commissioner declines to investigate again and ‘buries the report’

The new Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, Joseph Azzopardi, has chosen for the second time now to not investigate a complaint over a minister’s alleged breach of the code of ethics

According to NGO Repubblika, the complainant, Azzopardi did not publish his findings and instead “buried” the report.

The NGO’s complaint to the Commissioner dealt with Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia’s failure to present himself in parliament for questioning or to at least make a statement on the day a video showing a pair of Transport Malta officials administering a man with a beating in the middle of the road had gone viral.

In reply to its complaint, the Standards Commissioner informed Repubblika that he has chosen to not investigate the complaint.

Repubblika this morning published the Commissioner’s report in full since Azzopardi had neglected to do so.

“It seems that Prime Minister Robert Abela is succeeding in neutralising the Commissioner for Standards and in turning it into an instrument for the protection and promotion of impunity for him and his friends,” Repubblika said.

Despite having not investigated the complaint, Azzopardi found in his report that the Code of Ethics obliges ministers to attend parliament except for when they are away on work or are sick.

He also found that the House’s Standing Orders excuse ministers only when the Speaker is notified in advance through the party’s Whip.

But, according to Azzopardi’s report, Minister Farrugia was not abroad or sick and he had not notified the Whip of his absence.

Instead, Farrugia appeared inside the parliament building for a few minutes before the session began but remained outside the chamber when, by his own admission, he knew it was his turn to answer parliamentary questions.

Yet the Commissioner decided to not investigate and rule on the matter and, in his report, he put the incident down to poor planning on Farrugia’s part.

“As a matter of fact,” Repubblika said this morning, “Commissioner Azzopardi investigated the case, documented what happened, confirmed the violation of the Code of Ethics, and, contrary to what he is obliged to do when he finds a minister has violated the Code of Ethics, he closed the case and buried the report.”

The NGO said it was crystal clear that Farrugia intentionally avoided his obligation to answer legitimate questions in parliament.

“It is equally clear from the report’s content that Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi wanted to cover it up, when appropriate behaviour on the part of ministers and Members of Parliament is an obligation they have to citizens.

“The Commissioner for Standards is also obliged to raise standards in public life, not lower them.”