Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said that he cannot go anywhere in the world without being asked about corruption and rule of law in Malta.

“It’s not just international bodies like the International Monetary Fund and credit rating agencies, even if I’m in a taxi in South America I get asked about the situation and have to explain,” he said.

Speaking on Wednesday at a public consultation meeting ahead of next month’s Budget, Scicluna expressed his exasperation against people who he said tried to tarnish Malta’s good reputation by making “false allegations”.

“Unfortunately this was started by fellow Maltese. They were followed by others with an agenda against Malta. However, the truth always comes out, and the truth is starting to come out on this too,” he said.

Scicluna said he and other members of the government, he said, were working tirelessly to repair the island’s reputation, but this took time.

The minister then went on to regale those gathered for the meeting with findings of recent studies which he said showed Malta was at the forefront of good governance and transparency.