Updated 5pm
The Egrant inquiring magistrate ordered further investigations and possible proceedings against individuals, the Office of the Prime Minister said on Thursday.
Replying to questions by the Times of Malta on the publication of the report, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said the action ordered was “against individuals who were part of this orchestration, in particular ones who have been front and centre of the allegations spread against the Prime Minister and his family”.
The Prime Minister, who was given a copy of the report by the Attorney General, believes it is in the national interest to publish the findings.
“Having said that, given the sensitive nature of this decision and the position adopted by the Attorney General, the Office of the Prime Minister is carefully reviewing all the 1,500-plus pages of the inquiry to ensure that personal and private details of individuals do not intrude on third parties’ rights,” the spokesman said.
He added the Office of the Prime Minister was seeking due advice and making a thorough review before publication.
The spokesman said a copy of the inquiry would be handed over to the Opposition leader upon publication although he did not say whether this would be a redacted version.
Questions sent to the Attorney General on the matter remained unanswered.
MPs, MEP rally behind Pierre Portelli
A number of PN MPs who have openly voiced their support for the party's former leader Simon Busuttil quickly reacted to the OPM's talk of "individuals" being investigated by rallying behind Pierre Portelli.
Mr Portelli, who serves as head of PN media and is a close ally of party leader Adrian Delia, was the person who passed on declarations of trust which the Egrant inquiring magistrate, Aaron Bugeja, found were forged. He was managing editor of The Malta Independent at the time.
The MPs- Karo Aquilina, Jason Azzopardi, Claudette Buttigieg, Therese Comodini Cachia, Beppe Fenech Adami, Karl Gouder and MEP David Casa - all wrote posts on Facebook saying it would be a "travesty of justice" if Mr Portelli were to be among those being investigated further following the Egrant inquiry findings.
Mr Portelli, the MPs said, was just doing his job as a journalist when he was handed the declarations of trust to the inquiring magistrate.
Former PN leadership candidate Alex Perici Calascione also offered Mr Portelli his support.
Mr Portelli has said he accepts the inquiry conclusions and noted that he never showed the documents passed on to him to anyone apart from magistrate Bugeja.