Air Malta will be safeguarding its own interests when looking into a potential breach of contract by its former CEO Louis Giordimaina, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said yesterday.

 "Air Malta is looking towards its interests, but at this stage I cannot confirm what you are saying," Dr Zammit Lewis said when asked by The Malta Independent whether the airline will be suing Mr Giordimaina for breaching his contract.

"This is something to do with Air Malta it is not something political, Air Malta is seeing the contract that there was with the Chief Executive Officer and seeing its own interests.  

Politically as a government we do not involve ourselves in a private corporation and one that the government is a shareholder in.  These are matters seen at management level and at the level of the board of directors," Dr Zammit Lewis said.

Asked to elaborate on the breach, he again said the government will not be interfering. 

Mr Giordimaina resigned in September after eight months in the post. He said he resigned for personal reasons.

Sources say the breach is likely down to the fact that Mr Giordimaina was on a definite contract. Air Malta Chairwoman Maria Micallef mentioned the potential breach of contract in an interview published in The Sunday Times of Malta.

Contacted yesterday on the matter, Mr Giordimaina said he is not in a position to make any statements.

Mr Giordimaina has since been replaced by Philip Micallef, who has in the past 30 years occupied various management positions within many organisations in Malta and overseas, both in the private and public sector.