PD hits out at Muscat for re-appointing Mizzi, Schembri

The Partit Demokratiku has hit out at Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for appointing Konrad Mizzi as tourism minister and re-appointing Keith Schembri as OPM chief of staff, despite the two having been implicated in the Panama Papers.

“It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister could not find less tainted persons among those who were elected to entrust with the Minister of Tourism and Air Malta, but decided on reappointing Konrad Mizzi in his cabinet,” the PD said in a statement. “Furthermore, the Prime Minister decided on keeping Keith Schembri as his chief of staff despite his dubious behaviour and the opening of company in Panama back in 2013, few months apart from when the Labour Party came into power.”

It follows similar criticism by the Nationalist Party, which said on Friday that Muscat’s decision to maintain Mizzi and Schembri proves that he “has learned nothing from the general election and is intent on divisive politics and not politics based on unity”. 

Elsewhere, the PD said it is disappointed that financial services and citizenship now fall directly under the Office of the Prime Minister – through parliamentary secretariats headed by Silvio Schembri and Julia Farrugia respectively.

“The two sectors are connected to the ongoing magisterial investigations,” the PD said, referring to inquiries into alleged kickbacks paid to Keith Schembri.

It also questioned Muscat’s decision to appoint newly-elected Labour MP Robert Abela as his personal legal consultant, arguing that a clear line should be drawn between Parliament and the executive.

On a positive note, the PD praised Muscat for appointing Justyne Caruana as Gozo minister – a decision that has reportedly drawn the ire of her predecessor Anton Refalo.