Standards committee adopts case report on Konrad Mizzi's MTA consultancy

The parliamentary committee on standards in public life has adopted the conclusions of a Standards Commissioner decision, that investigated the appointment of Konrad Mizzi as a consultant within the MTA.

As subject of the investigation, former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat could possibly be given the right to make submissions to the committee as stipulated in the Standards in Public Life Act if the committee decides to impose sanctions on him. Muscat resigned as MP in October 2020.

The hour-long committee meeting saw MPs discussing legal technicalities in the Standards in Public Life Act and the way forward on the commissioner’s report.

Given that Muscat had resigned from parliament prior to the publication of the report, Labour MPs Edward Zammit Lewis and Byron Camilleri argued that the committee can only impose sanctions on sitting MPs.

PN MP Karol Aquilina argued otherwise, insisting that the Standards Act illustrates a set of sanctions to be imposed on MPs, as well as separate sanctions when there has been a breach in the Code of Ethics.

The Standards Commissioner had concluded in his report that Konrad Mizzi’s appointment as a consultant in the MTA was an abuse of power on Joseph Muscat’s side.

As Prime Minister, and in turn minister responsible for the MTA, Joseph Muscat had instructed for the Malta Tourism Authority to award Konrad Mizzi an €80,000 consultancy within the authority.

READ ALSO: Muscat abused powers with Konrad Mizzi consultancy – standards report