Malta needs more experienced chief in Brussels, Nationalist Party says

The Nationalist Party has justified its opposition to Malta’s new permanent representative in Brussels, insisting the national interest required someone with more experience than Daniel Azzopardi

Dar Malta in Brussels will get a new chief
Dar Malta in Brussels will get a new chief

The national interest was ignored when government nominated technocrat Daniel Azzopardi to the post of permanent representative in Brussels, the Nationalist Party said.

The relatively unknown Azzopardi, who headed the Energy and Water Agency, was nominated by the government to replace Marlene Bonnici at Dar Malta.

Azzopardi’s nomination was scrutinised by a parliamentary committee on Wednesday. His nomination was approved by four votes against three, with the Opposition members voting against.

This was the first time that a nomination scrutinised by this committee, did not achieve consensus. During the same sitting the PN MPs voted with the government side, in favour of Marlene Seychell's nomination to head the Malta Gaming Authority.

In a statement on Thursday, the PN justified its decision to vote against Azzopardi’s nomination, insisting its MPs were not convinced that his choice was judicious at this juncture.

“His choice is mistaken… at a time when the country is facing major challenges inside the EU, the government’s appointment had to be someone with more experience,” the PN said.

Azzopardi was a technical attache at Dar Malta for almost seven years before being appointed CEO of the energy agency in January 2016.