The European Commission is still hunting for the “most suitable” person to head its representation in Malta, a year after Martin Bugelli relinquished the post he held for three years and just 18 months before the country takes up the EU Presidency.

Diane Spiteri is currently serving as the acting head of representation while retaining her role as a communication officer.

Asked to explain the delay in appointing a head of representation, a Commission spokesperson pointed out that Malta is not the only Commission representation being headed by an acting head of representation.

“The Commission wants to ensure that the most suitable candidate gets the job. This can take time – as is for example also the case in the Representation in Vienna,” the spokesperson said.

Joanna Darmanin – who has served on the Cabinet of the last three EU Commissioner nominated by the previous administration – was widely regarded as the Commission’s favourite to replace Mr Bugelli.

It is the European Commission that nominates their local representative, though this is usually done in consultation with the government of the day.

Ms Darmanin’s nomination at the beginning of 2014 was practically vetoed by the government after it complained that the European Commission had not consulted it on Ms Darmanin’s nomination like it had done in the past with other nominations.

It is unlikely that the government would have taken kindly to Ms Darmanin’s appointment, particularly given her loyalty to the previous government and the antagonism between her and one-time government consultant and former Commissioner John Dalli, who resigned from his post due to an investigation by the EU’s anti-fraud office Olaf.

To put it into context, this was at a time when Malta’s relations with the Commission were at an all time low thanks to the government’s initially belligerent stance over its controversial ‘cash-for-passports’ scheme.

Although relations with the European Commission have since improved, sources say the government has yet to agree on the most suitable candidate, after more than a year and a half of discussions.