The Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg has breached the code of ethics when she passed on information related to the magisterial inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia to the Prime Minister and Justice Minister, the Nationalist Party said.

She should therefore assume her responsibilities and resign, the PN added.

The PN was referring to comments made by the Prime Minister, Robert Abela, last Monday, when he said that he had received information that the magistrate had asked for an extension of the deadline to conclude the inquiry. The Chamber of Advocates on Thursday expressed concern that information that was solely available to the AG had been passed on to the PM.

The PN said that the Code of Ethics for the AG and the lawyers who worked in the office said that documents and information in their possession are confidential.

Instead of being an example to others, Buttigieg chose to breach the code by passing on information to Abela and Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, who used this information to deceive the Maltese people, the PN said. After resisting for months to set up a public inquiry, the government had used the delay in the magisterial inquiry as an excuse to change tack and set up the public inquiry.

The AG has no other honourable road but to resign, the PN said.

The statement was signed by the party spokesman for justice Karol Aquilina.