The government’s internal inquiry on the Gaffarena affair cannot be published if the law regulating the investigative department is followed to the letter, Times of Malta can reveal.

However, the Prime Minister's Office this afternoon insisted it can. (see below)

In the wake of the growing controversy over the scandalous expropriation deal that saw Mark Gaffarena being compensated with cash and land for half a property in Valletta, the government tasked the Internal Audit and Investigations Department (IAID) to probe the matter.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat went on record saying that the conclusions of the inquiry would be made public as soon as it is concluded.

But despite Dr Muscat’s commitment of “full transparency” over the issue, the law effectively prevents him from publishing the investigation.

Even so, a spokesman for the Prime Minister yesterday insisted the inquiry would be published.

Read more in Times of Malta.

OPM insists inquiry can be published

In a statement this afternoon, the Office of the  Prime Minister insisted that while the law stipulated that the IAID could not publish its investigations, once this report was handed over to the permanent secretary in the Prime Minister’s office, who then passed it on to the Prime Minister, it was the latter's decision to see whether or not to publish.

The Prime Minister had already cleady said he would, the OPM said.