According to the latest evaluation report by the Council of Europe's GRECO Commission, Malta remains significantly behind in the fight against corruption and in promoting integrity within governance and law enforcement, with the report calling for strengthened anti-corruption reforms both within the Maltese Government and the Police Force, the Nationalist Party said Friday.
"The latest update by the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) on Malta concluded that our country has satisfactorily implemented only eight out of twenty-three recommendations, while another seven have been only partially implemented and no action has been taken on the remaining eight. As a result, the report states, Malta is still not compliant with GRECO's recommendations."
"This is yet another confirmation that the Labour Government continues to fail systematically in the areas of governance, transparency, and responsible state administration. The report emphasises that, despite some minor steps forward in the criminal justice system and within the Police Force, progress remains very limited and crucial shortcomings at the heart of the executive are leaving the country exposed to greater risks of corruption."
GRECO has requested that the Maltese authorities submit a further progress report by 30 June 2026, and in a move rarely taken, has also requested that a letter be sent to the Minister for Foreign Affairs to underline the urgency of real and concrete reforms, the PN said.
"This latest report further confirms the Labour Government's lack of commitment and credibility in the fight against corruption."
The PN reiterated its commitment to a system that functions with seriousness, justice, and high standards of public integrity. Malta deserves far better than this level of institutional failure.
The PN statement was signed by Joe Giglio, Shadow Minister for Justice, Darren Carabott, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Security, and Beppe Fenech Adami. Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Labour Party had a different view of the report, saying that it "clearly shows the progress being made by the Labour Government in the areas of justice, security, and governance".
It noted, the PL said, that Malta has implemented the majority of GRECO's recommendations, with 8 recommendations implemented satisfactorily and another 7 implemented partially. This report also confirms continuous improvement compared to previous years, as within three years Malta rose from having 2 fully implemented recommendations to 8, the PL said.
This stands in stark contrast to the implementation record under Nationalist administrations. In the last report issued in 2012, the Nationalist Government was criticized for failing to satisfactorily implement any of the nine recommendations made by GRECO, the PL said.