The NGO Repubblika has said that the Standards Commissioner’s office might as well be disbanded if the watchdog is to continue acting how he is.

This came after it emerged that Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi will not be investigating Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia, although a report he compiled shows that 50 per cent of the beneficiaries of a government scheme came from his electoral districts.

In a statement on Sunday morning, NGO Repubblika condemned the decision to stop the investigation.

“We think that the reasoning of the Commissioner – who was appointed by the government alone a little while ago – is just a senseless excuse which insults citizen’s intelligence, which deserves to be respected,” the NGO said.

It added that it is irresponsible to say that it is very difficult or impossible for the Commissioner to investigate this allegation, and that he had sent a “very ugly message” to ministers and MPs.

The NGO said that if the Standards Commissioner is going to continue acting in such a manner, then his office should be disbanded.

“Besides saving taxpayer’s money, it would be one less instrument in the government’s arsenal to strengthen its impunity,” Repubblika said.

In a statement, independent candidate Arnold Cassola, who had made a request for an investigation, said the commissioner confirmed that in 2021, 50 per cent of the beneficiaries of the government scheme Irrestawra l-Faccata came from the electoral districts of Minister Aaron Farrugia, whose Ministry was in charge of the scheme.

This amounted to 7 recipients out of the 14 who got the grant in all Malta and Gozo.

In February 2022, Commissioner George Hyzler had deemed that a preliminary investigation should be started, Cassola said. The complaint had been filed in 2021, when Hyzler was still commissioner.

The Planning Authority Executive Chairperson had confirmed to Commissioner Hyzler that the scheme had been drawn up by the Planning Authority, in consultation with Minister Aaron Farrugia's ministry.

The present Commissioner, Judge Azzopardi, confirmed that 50% of streets awarded grants are in Minster's electoral districts, Cassola said. However, they are "much trafficked areas". The Commissioner stated that it is impossible to compare traffic intensity of these roads with the intensity of traffic in other streets not awarded such grants.

The Commissioner also stated that it was impossible for his office to make a historical and architectural evaluation of the streets concerned.

Therefore, while reaffirming that Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries represent all Malta and not their particular electoral districts, the Commissioner for Standards has decided to discontinue this investigation, Cassola said.