Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542030
JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 17 DECEMBER 2025 NEWS Archbishop calls out ruling that MPs are not duty-bound to tell truth ARCHBISHOP Charles Scicluna has criticised a recent decision by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, stating it "beggars belief" that an MP is not ethically bound to be truthful. "Such a positivistic reading of the law is an affront to human decency," the Archbishop wrote on social media, reacting to the Standards Commissioner's ruling that MPs are not duty-bound to tell the truth. The controversy stems from a decision published this week by Standards Commissioner Joe Azzopardi, who halted an inves- tigation into claims that Oppo- sition MP Claudette Buttigieg spread false information about a major waste treatment project. The Commissioner concluded that whilst Buttigieg gave a "false impression" of what an environ- mental study said about a pro- posed thermal treatment facility at Magħtab, her actions did not breach the code of ethics govern- ing MPs. In his report, Azzopardi stat- ed that under the existing rules, Members of Parliament are under no formal obligation to tell the truth in their public discourse. The interpretation arises from the fact that the code of ethics for ministers expressly includes the obligation of honesty, but the code of ethics for Members of Parliament does not contain the same obligation. NGO Repubblika also raised concerns over the decision on Tuesday morning, saying that ethical standards should not be measured by an interpretation of what is written. "We need a culture of integrity in public life built on the reason- able expectation of the Maltese public that those who elect them will serve them by always seek- ing the truth and not telling them anything that will mislead them," Repubblika said. The NGO stated the decision shows how deficient the ethical framework is, making it clear how urgent it is to update the Code of Ethics for Members of Parlia- ment. They pointed out that clear obligations that reflect the funda- mental norms of public life in a democracy, including truth, hon- esty in public communication, and accountability for those who misinform, should be introduced. Repubblika warned there is a risk of reducing standards to a hunt for exceptions by keeping codes of ethics in a way that they work when one finds something to do with literal interpretations of written code, rather than a framework of principles that guide behaviour. "Ethical standards should not be measured solely by a narrow interpretation of what is written, but by norms of behaviour that every citizen has a reasonable right to expect from those who hold public office," they said "The role of integrity institutions and codes of conduct is not to find technical excuses, but to ensure that public officials act with hon- esty, responsibility and respect for the democratic trust that has been given to them." Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna (Photo: Curia) EU pharmaceuticals reform hailed as boost for medicine availability in Malta REVISED European Union phar- maceuticals legislation is ex- pected to significantly improve the availability of medicines in Malta, following the approval of amendments aimed at addressing long-standing challenges faced by small and island member states. MEPs on Monday confirmed the outcome of negotiations between the European Parliament, the Eu- ropean Commission and the Eu- ropean Council on the updated pharmaceuticals package. Among the agreed changes were amend- ments proposed by Maltese MEP Peter Agius, intended to improve access to medicines and, indirect- ly, reduce prices in smaller mar- kets such as Malta. According to Agius, the reforms will allow Maltese authorities and importers to source medi- cines from across the EU rather than being largely limited to Eng- lish-speaking markets. Central to this change is the introduction of a multilingual digital electron- ic code for patient information, which removes language barriers that have traditionally restricted procurement options. "The market supplying Malta will suddenly expand from Ire- land and the UK to all the 26 other Member States of the EU," Agius said, describing the changes as a major step forward for patients in Malta and other countries facing supply difficulties. Another key element of the revised legislation is the intro- duction of obligations on phar- maceutical companies to supply smaller markets. Under the nego- tiated text, companies that fail to comply with requests from mem- ber states such as Malta to provide new medicines could face the loss of patent protection. Malta has consistently ranked among the lowest in Europe for the availability of medicines, par- ticularly innovative treatments and drugs for rare diseases. Data from the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) WAIT re- ports show that some medicines become available in Malta up to five years later than in mainland Europe. The situation is especial- ly acute in oncology, with Mal- ta recording availability rates of around two per cent compared with figures as high as 96 per cent in countries such as Germany. The new rules, which are ex- pected to be introduced in phases starting in 2028, are intended to help overcome barriers linked to Malta's small market size by giv- ing authorities stronger leverage when engaging with pharmaceu- tical companies. Agius said the changes repre- sented "two giant leaps forward" for Maltese patients but stressed that their success would depend on effective implementation at national level. He also warned of the need to avoid disruptions in medicine supply during the tran- sition period, calling for the exten- sion of existing Brexit-related der- ogations until the new measures come into force. The European People's Party said the reforms mark an impor- tant milestone in addressing in- equalities in access to medicines across the EU, particularly for patients in smaller and geographi- cally isolated member states. NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt Maltese importers will no longer be limited to English- speaking markets under new rules (File photo)