It is no surprise that Malta has scored low on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the year 2023.

Malta retained a score of just 51 points out of 100 – making it classified as a ‘Flawed Democracy.’ This is exactly the same score Malta received in 2022. According to the ranking, the only European Union countries which come in with a lower score than Malta are Croatia (50), Greece (49), Romania (46), Bulgaria (45), and Hungary (42).

The government must do better to improve its actions in combating wrongdoing, upholding political responsibility and ensuring strong protection for journalists.

In Transparency International’s report, Malta is specifically mentioned on more than one occasion.

The report said that “a recent European Parliament resolution called on the Maltese authorities to step up investigations into possible instances of former public officials attempting to conceal evidence and obstruct investigations and judicial proceedings of the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.”

Malta is also mentioned as one of the countries in which reporting on corruption is “becoming increasingly challenging for journalists, weakening a vital check on government, due to heightened use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) or legal intimidation by powerful businesses and politicians.” SLAPPs are lawsuits intended to intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defence until they abandon their criticism or opposition.

The government is meant to be re-drafting an anti-SLAPP law which will be issued as a white paper, after a weak bill had been proposed last year. Yet this white paper is still nowhere to be seen.

Looking at the situation more generally, the country has clear problems. Over the past years, Malta has been neck-deep in one scandal after another, with barely any time for things to settle down before the next one hits. Some of the more recent ones include the hospitals deal. The harsh judgment, which described the deal as having been fraudulent, was also confirmed on appeal, with the courts here saying there was collusion. Full justice for the people of Malta has not yet been done, and aside from getting the money back, a magisterial inquiry is ongoing.

Then there was the disability fraud racket. The masterminds are yet to even be charged after so much time has passed.

There is also the driving licence scandal. Three Transport Malta officials were charged, but the Prime Minister has come out in defence of customer care officials and a minister following revelations last year about texts that were sent. This was not the right message to send.

Now, the Prime Minister is opening his arms to former politicians and officials who were the subject of various scandals over the years. Political accountability on a temporary basis.

Realistically speaking, how can one take this government seriously when it speaks about improving standards?

There needs to be a stronger sense of political responsibility among those in power, and the authorities need to take fast and effective action when corruption scandals break, but is there the political will to do so?