The Standards Commissioner ruled that he has no competence to decide on whether former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat should keep his diplomatic passport, or whether it should be withdrawn given that he is criminally charged in connection with the Vitals inquiry.

In a ruling following a complaint filed by independent candidate Arnold Cassola, commissioner Joseph Azzopardi said the decision is the government’s responsibility.

Muscat is no longer Prime Minister and no longer an MP, and therefore does not fall under the commissioner’s remit.

On this basis, the commissioner said that he therefore will not continue to investigate the complaint.

Muscat was given the diplomatic passport as part of his termination package when he resigned in disgrace in December 2019.

The ruling on the complaint was released by Cassola on Saturday.