PN shadow Minister refuses to apologise following breach of ethics complaint by Caruana Galizia

PN shadow minister Joe Giglio has refused to apologise after Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi found he breached parliamentary ethics by failing to declare an interest in legislation that benefited his legal clients.

The finding follows a complaint by Matthew Caruana Galizia over Giglio’s representation of Nigel and Mikaela Scerri, whose criminal proceedings ended following a tax settlement made possible by the legislation.

In his report, Azzopardi concluded that Giglio should have declared his professional interest before Parliament voted on Bill 142. Giglio’s refusal to accept an apology as a remedy means the report is being submitted to Parliament’s Standards Committee.

The bill passed its second reading, committee stage and third reading in a single sitting on 4 August 2025, becoming law a week later.

It allowed people facing criminal proceedings over tax evasion and related offences to settle with the tax authorities, subject to conditions, and have proceedings brought to an end.

Giglio represented the Scerri couple before the legislation was debated and when their case subsequently ended.

He argued that the disclosure requirement could not extend to legislation applying generally to people who happened to be clients of MPs practising a profession.

Azzopardi rejected that argument.

The legislation applied to a limited category of people and offered a substantial benefit by allowing them to avoid criminal proceedings potentially leading to imprisonment.

The commissioner also dismissed any suggestion that disclosure would compromise client confidentiality.

Giglio could have declared an interest without identifying his clients or explaining their circumstances.

Giglio voted against the bill alongside other opposition MPs. Azzopardi said that did not remove the obligation to declare his interest, but considered the vote a mitigating factor.

The commissioner judged the breach was not grave and offered to close the case if Giglio apologised in writing and undertook to observe the rule in future.

Giglio declined.

In his response, he disputed the commissioner’s interpretation, argued it could hamper MPs across different professions and called for clearer guidance.

The report also exposes weaknesses in Parliament’s disclosure rules.

Azzopardi noted that the relevant provision does not cover an MP’s own interests or those of relatives and other close people, and applies only to bills rather than other parliamentary work.

He warned that a proposed replacement code largely reproduced those weaknesses, despite extending disclosure to other parliamentary business.

Azzopardi recommended that the code be clarified and strengthened before being brought back to Parliament for consideration.