Ministers require OPM’s approval before engaging with media

Ministers will require the approval of the Office of the Prime Minister before giving interviews, organise activities or publish statements, according to the revised Ministerial Code of Ethics.

The ‘new’ code of ethics, published four months after it came into force, has been slimmed down in appearance but is now accompanied by a host of manuals gleaned from the civil service code, guiding the application of the code.

The code itself has had two main points added to it: one of them allows Cabinet members to retain their private work if it is deemed to be “in the national interest”; and a new entry focuses on the ministers’ public relations and their interaction with the media. 

What was considered to be “procedural” was removed from the code and listed in the Cabinet’s manual for procedures.

According to point 10 of the ministerial code, ministers are to regularly inform the public and the media of their ministerial activities. “For this purpose, and for effective coordination, statements, interviews and ministerial activities must first receive the Office of the Prime Minister’s approval,” the code reads.

The code goes on to add that incorrect information divulged must be immediately corrected and that ministers have to ensure open and full communication with social partners, NGOs, professional organisations, media, and the public.

What effectively reflects a stronger control by the Office of the Prime Minister on the government’s communications, principal permanent secretary Mario Cutajar said clause 10 was included for “consistency across government”.

“Approval from the Office of the Prime Minister needs to be sought since this Office is the regulating ministry which takes collective decisions,” a spokesperson for Cutajar told MaltaToday.

“This clause does improve the Code of Ethics in such a way that ethical and responsible decisions are taken reassuring collective transparency and good governance.”

In a press conference convened on Friday morning, Cutajar insisted that “the code of ethics was revised to strengthen governance and transparency”.