Prime Minister tells PD, nominee to corruption commission has to come from Adrian Delia

The Prime Minister has written to the Democratic Party (PD), informing it that its nomination of Philip Micallef to the Permanent Commission against Corruption has no legal basis since it is the leader of the Opposition that must put forward a nominee.

“Article 3(1) of the Permanent Commission Against Corruption provides for members of the commission to be appointed by the President of Malta, acting on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, after consulting with the leader of the Opposition and thus the nomination put forward by yourselves has no legal bases and is therefore legally unattainable,” read the letter from the Prime Minister.

The PD said it firmly believed the commission “must be up and running at all costs”, adding that PD leader Anthony Buttigieg had contacted PN leader Adrian Delia, suggesting he nominate Micallef for the position.

“PD knows that Mr Micallef is the ideal candidate for the position and will be of great service to the nation,” said the PD in a statement. “It is in this spirit that we believe it is irrelevant from what source the nomination comes, as long as it is made.”

The party added that the nation needed to work against the “scourge of graft and corruption”, insisting that the fight against corruption needed to rise above party politics.

Yesterday, the PD wrote to the Prime Minister to nominate Micallef to the role, given, it said, that the PN had failed to put forward a nominee for eight months since the passing of former magistrate Joe Cassar.

In Micallef, the party said it found someone with a reputation of unimpeachable integrity with practical experience both in private enterprise and on government regulatory boards and with experience abroad.