Public inquiry recommendations

Responsible institutions

Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry for Justice, Parliament

Government response

The government appointed a committee of experts on media matters and subsequently published draft media law measures.

Legal or policy change

Amendments in the media reform package were presented to Parliament. Press freedom organisations recorded that parts of the package were revised after consultation.

Operational evidence

No published protocol has been located that sets out how a specific threat against a named journalist is assessed and answered by the police.

Independent assessment

Media Freedom Rapid Response missions and the Caruana Galizia foundation have described the reform as incomplete.

Outstanding gap

An operational, published threat assessment and protection procedure for journalists, and evidence that it has been used.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

Parliament, Ministry for Justice

Government response

Malta has pointed to anti-SLAPP measures in the media reform package and to EU level instruments.

Legal or policy change

At EU level, Directive (EU) 2024/1069 on protecting persons who engage in public participation against manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings was adopted, together with a Commission recommendation. Member states must transpose the directive into national law.

Operational evidence

Transposition and the first national applications of the directive are the test. No published Maltese case law applying a domestic anti-SLAPP dismissal mechanism has been located for this entry.

Independent assessment

Not located for the Maltese transposition as at the last review date.

Outstanding gap

Evidence of Maltese transposition in force, and of a case in which the mechanism was used.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

Parliament, Broadcasting Authority, Public Broadcasting Services

Government response

Governance changes to public broadcasting have been announced in successive reform statements.

Legal or policy change

The European Media Freedom Act sets binding EU standards for the independence of public service media and applies to Malta.

Operational evidence

Appointment procedures for the public broadcaster's leadership remain in the gift of the executive on the public record examined here.

Independent assessment

European Commission rule of law reporting on Malta has continued to address media independence in successive annual cycles.

Outstanding gap

An appointment and funding model for public broadcasting that is insulated from the executive, and an assessment confirming it operates.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

Office of the Prime Minister, Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, Parliament

Government response

Ethics guidance and standards mechanisms have been referenced in government responses.

Legal or policy change

The Standards in Public Life framework predates the report; no consolidated conflicts of interest statute implementing the report's analysis has been located.

Operational evidence

Investigations by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life are published and can be checked case by case.

Independent assessment

Not located as a systematic assessment of this theme.

Outstanding gap

A published mapping of which of the report's governance findings have produced a binding rule change.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

Malta Police Force, Attorney General, Ministry for Home Affairs

Government response

Reforms separating prosecutorial functions and changing the appointment of the police commissioner were introduced in the reform cycle that followed the Venice Commission opinion.

Legal or policy change

Changes to the appointment of the Commissioner of Police and to the separation of the Attorney General's roles were legislated.

Operational evidence

Prosecutions in major financial crime cases have been initiated since the report; their outcomes are not yet final.

Independent assessment

The European Commission's annual rule of law reports track these institutional changes and continue to record outstanding issues.

Outstanding gap

Evidence that the internal failures identified by the board, in particular on intelligence handling, have been addressed by a specific procedural change.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

Office of the Prime Minister, Information and Data Protection Commissioner

Government response

No consolidated response to this theme has been located for this entry.

Legal or policy change

No amendment to the Freedom of Information Act implementing the report's analysis has been located.

Operational evidence

Independent outlets have had to litigate freedom of information requests, which is itself evidence about how the regime operates in practice.

Independent assessment

Not located.

Outstanding gap

A published review of the freedom of information regime measured against the report's findings.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

Office of the Prime Minister, Political parties, Parliament

Government response

The then prime minister apologised on behalf of the state following the report. An apology is an official statement, not an implementation measure.

Legal or policy change

None identified that addresses this theme directly.

Operational evidence

Council of Europe platform alerts concerning Malta continue to be filed, which is a measurable indicator on this theme.

Independent assessment

Press freedom organisations continue to report a hostile environment for journalists in Malta.

Outstanding gap

A measurable indicator adopted by the state itself, rather than by outside monitors, and reported on periodically.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03

Responsible institutions

FIAU, Malta Police Force, Attorney General

Government response

Malta pointed to its response to the Financial Action Task Force process and to increased enforcement capacity.

Legal or policy change

Institutional and resourcing changes were made across the anti money laundering framework.

Operational evidence

Prosecutions arising from earlier reporting have been brought. Several are pending and cannot be treated as outcomes.

Independent assessment

External evaluation of the anti money laundering framework exists, but not as an assessment of this recommendation specifically.

Outstanding gap

An assessment that connects enforcement capacity to the specific failures the board identified.

Last reviewed 2026-09-03