Parliament has become an instrument of impunity, an institution that does not observe its own decisions, NGO Repubblika said.

It was referring to a story published in The Times today which says that MP Rosianne Cutajar was not reprimanded for a breach of ethics, in spite of a decision that was taken by the Standards Committee earlier this week.

The Standards Committee voted to admonish PL MP Rosianne Cutajar after adopting a report that found her in breach of ethics, but a proposal by PN MPs to suspend her from Parliament for a month was shot down.

The Standards Committee had, on 9 November, adopted the conclusions and recommendations of a report that found PL MP Rosianne Cutajar in breach of ethics. Standards Commissioner George Hyzler had found that Cutajar more likely than not had received a €46,000 brokerage payment, not declaring it.

The Times today reports that the “stern reprimand” that parliament was meant to have delivered to Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar was simply a letter informing her about a parliamentary committee’s decision against her.

Repubblika said that the Speaker’s actions continue to strengthen the notion of impunity that reins in Malta. The law for people in strong positions is different from the rest of us, the NGO commented.