The magisterial inquiry into the shooting incident involving the driver of Minister Manuel Mallia will not cover the political responsibilities of what happened, including the fabrication of a lie that the shots fired were as a warning only, Nationalist Party Deputy Leader Beppe Fenech Adami said today.

If the Prime Minister does not want to sack Minister Mallia after what happened, then Joseph Muscat is an accomplice in the cover-up, he insisted.

The Labour government is doing the opposite of what it promised when it was in Opposition. It lacks transparency and accountability, and many of its ministers are engulfed in political controversies that expose the government's shortcomings and inefficiency.

Dr Fenech Adami said that on Thursday morning Minister Mallia defended the police officer involved in the shooting, but in the evening the Prime Minister, in his statement, expressed his disgust and anger. Yet, in the same statement, the PM said that he and the minister were on the same wavelength.

The Opposition remained adamant in calling the situation a cover-up, asking why the foreigner's car was moved prior to the beginning of the inquiry. The Opposition asks "Who ordered the car moved? Why was it moved?" The opposition alleged that this is a criminal offence as it is tampering with evidence.

PN spokesman for home affairs Jason Azzopardi said that Minister Mallia has been involved in several controversial moments since taking over as minister. He mentioned the "vindictive transfers, the issue with the Ombudsman, where the Ombudsman has yet to be given the requested information needed in order to conduct his investigation," and others. 

He said that back in May he had asked a series of Parliamentary questions regarding a halt of training for district officers that used to occurr once a month which included the firing of guns. "In response the Minister said we were being negative".

In reply, Minister Mallia said that he did not try to hide any facts and, as already explained, the initial press statement was corrected at the first oppotunity.

He said a magisterial inquiry has been launched to investigate the incident. The government believes in institutions and the truth will emerge from the inquiry, the minister said.

The PN issued another statement, saying that Minister Mallia cannot be believed. The Maltese people do not need a magisterial inquiry to understand that he lied and tried to cover up. Minister Mallia should shoulder the political responsibility of his driver's excessive reaction. Prime Minister Muscat has no other way out than to sack Dr Mallia, or else he will be seen as weak.