Former Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis has said that he is “very happy” with the report issued by the Group of States against Corruption about Malta – even though the same report states that Malta only fully implemented two out of the 23 recommendations it had given.

The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) published on Tuesday a compliance report on Malta, assessing the progress of the country in the implementation of the recommendations issued in the Fifth Round Evaluation Report on prevention of corruption and promotion of integrity in central governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies, which was adopted at GRECO's Plenary Meeting on 22 March, 2019.

Only two of the 23 recommendations by GRECO in its evaluation report were satisfactorily implemented, or were dealt with in a satisfactory manner by Malta, according to the same group.

The report found that twelve recommendations have only been partly implemented and nine have not been implemented at all.

However, Zammit Lewis appeared to intentionally misinterpret these statistics, saying that GRECO had said that Malta had implemented over half of the recommendations.

“I am very happy with the GRECO report which mentions that Malta implemented more than half of its recommendations, especially in the rule of law sector and in laws against fraud and corruption which I had led,” Zammit Lewis, who served as Justice Minister for the bulk of Robert Abela’s first two years in power, said.

“I am privileged to have had the opportunity to create a better Malta and I am determined to work towards it, wherever I am, with your faith,” he added.

Zammit Lewis was Justice Minister between January 2020 – when Robert Abela replaced Joseph Muscat as Prime Minister – and March 2022, the date of the last general election.  He has since been relegated to the backbenches.