The prime minister has invoked time-barring to stop an investigation by the Standards Commissioner into his undeclared €180,000 utilised for the purchase of land in Xewkija, Momentum party leader Arnold Cassola said Monday.

Robert Abela had written to the commissioner, pointing to the time-barring period and saying that respecting statutory terms constituted a matter of public order.  

Judge Emeritus Joseph Azzopardi ruled he will not continue the investigation while commenting that the time-barring period was too short and should be extended.

"When a Prime Minister resorts to the time-barring term to avoid being investigated for wrongdoing, this is the biggest admission that he has committed wrongdoing," Cassola said..

"Malta is really in a sorry state when its Prime Minister has to resort to the tactics of a criminal lawyer in court to avoid full transparency on his behaviour. In these five years, the lawyer Robert Abela has never understood what being a Prime Minister of all the people means," Cassola said. 

The commissioner's report in full can be seen in the PDF.