Government nominates Jean Claude Micallef instead of Konrad Mizzi for MP delegation role

Jean Claude Micallef to be named head of OSCE parliamentary delegation after government withdraws controversial Konrad Mizzi nomination

Jean Claude Micallef will be the government's new nomination for the OSCE role
Jean Claude Micallef will be the government's new nomination for the OSCE role

Jean Claude Micallef will replace Konrad Mizzi as the government’s nominee to head the parliamentary delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Mizzi’s nomination to the role was made in Parliament on Monday, but, following a widespread backlash, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced this morning that it would be withdrawn.

The motion was formally repealed in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, with Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri saying that the government had decided to withdraw Mizzi’s nomination after there was a disagreement with the Opposition about it.

Micallef’s nomination will be announced in the coming hours, Camilleri said.

Micallef was elected to Parliament in a casual election in 11 December to fill in the seat vacated by former equality ministern Helena Dalli on the third district. 

The government’s U-turn came less than 24 hours after public outrage at the motion was sparked.

Mizzi had come under fire repeatedly in 2016 after it he was revealed to have opened a secret company in Panama together with Keith Schembri, former chief of staff to Joseph Muscat.

The companies are believed to be connected to Electorgas director and 17 Black owner Yorgen Fenech, who now stands accused of being the mastermind behind the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination.

Mizzi resigned as minister in November 2019, under the weight of the revelations surrounding Fenech’s arrest.