PN MEP David Casa gave a ‘warning’ to Governor of the Central Bank of Malta Edward Scicluna, to refrain from attending an informal meeting next week between all the governors of the Central Banks in Europe.

“Scicluna should not go and represent Malta, while carrying accusations against him,” Casa said.

He was speaking in a PN press conference held in front of the Central Bank of Malta, where he said that if Scicluna, who is facing criminal charges over the Vitals case, goes then he will be betraying the Maltese and Gozitan public, and causing great damage to the country’s reputation.

Casa also said that workers at the Central Bank are given all types of world news, but are not being given details about what’s happening with the governor. He said that workers are not being told the truth, and being treated like simpletons (gahan).

Casa, who personally knows Scicluna, admitted that Scicluna is a man of integrity, but right now, he is “selling his integrity each day in turn for money.”

“The country has a huge crisis, which the Prime Minister is not seeing. We are in danger of tarnishing its reputation,” Casa said, naming a previous governor of the Central Bank, Alfred Mifsud, who was also accused on separate proceedings, and had “made the right choice and resigned.”

He mentioned the collective agreement in place for workers at the Central Bank, in which a particular clause says that if a worker is damaging the reputation or credibility of the Central Bank, the individual must be brought before a board of discipline.

“The collective agreement does not count for the governor? Who is not only tarnishing the country’s reputation, but is also facing serious criminal charges,” Casa said.

PN MP Graham Bencini said that the country is passing through a surreal situation, where the governor of the Central Bank is being accused of fraud crimes, among others.

“He is not just governor of Malta, but he also occupies high and sensitive roles, among which is the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), which is a regulator who puts pressure and regulations on those working in the financial services sector,” Bencini said.

He emphasized that the MFSA’s own deputy chairman stands accused of serious crimes, such as fraud.

Bencini said that the situation is unacceptable, as apart from the damage being caused internationally, damage is also being caused locally, as instead of the governor of the Central Bank setting an example, he himself is accused of breaking several regulations.

Bencini also said that Scicluna, as former Finance Minister, had increased the governor’s pay so that he could claim it for himself.

“It is obvious that the only interest he has is the money he pockets from the backs of the population,” Bencini said.

He said that, as it seems that Scicluna will not resign on his own will, then he should be removed immediately, to stop the damage being caused to the country.

PN MP Jerome Caruana Cilia said that the same Scicluna had written an article in the Torca newspaper in 2020, titled “Ministers, Ethics and Social Media.”

Caruana Cilia said that Scicluna must follow his own words and resign immediately, or be removed.

He said that international newspapers have also been criticising this news, while the country takes a “bit hit” to its reputation.

Caruana Cilia said that workers in the financial services sector are disappointed, and feel this pressure on their profession.

“Edward Scicluna must do the right thing and resign, or be removed immediately,” he said.

He said that the people understand that the three hospitals’ sale was the biggest fraud and theft in the country’s history, with €400 million going towards “the people at the centre.”

“Today, the people understand why they have to resort to private medical care, why they spend hours in the emergency room before someone attends to them, why there was no investment in St Luke’s Hospital, and why this government did not build the much-needed mental health hospital,” Caruana Cilia said, mentioning the challenges faced daily in the health sector.

He said that in the recent history of Labour government, there were several cases of individuals who resigned or were removed from their role, some for much less than what Scicluna is being accused of.

Caruana Cilia mentioned Godfrey Farrugia, Manuel Mallia, Justyne Caruana, Edward Zammit Lewis, Speaker Anglu Farrugia, Michael Falzon, and most recently, Aaron Farrugia, who were, in some way, removed due to their actions or to bear political responsibility.

“It is surreal that the governor of the Central Bank of Malta is still occupying this role,” he said.

During questions by the media, Casa said that he wrote to the President of the European Central Banks Christine Lagarde, telling her to monitor the situation in Malta.

Casa said that he is waiting for Scicluna to have the decency to resign off his own accord, rather than be removed, to show that he has the interests of the country at heart.