Independent MP Marlene Farrugia has apologised for voting for the removal of Richard Cachia Caruana from the post of ambassador in the past legislature.

Mr Cachia Caruana had resigned his post as permanent representative to the EU in 2012 after a motion of no confidence presented by the then Labour Opposition Opposition. This was approved in parliament with the backing of Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who gave Labour the majority they needed in the House to oust Mr Cachia Caruana.

Writing on Facebook in reference to the news that the European Commission had ruled that the Coast Road project had broken EU regulations, Dr Farrugia asked whether this was the only time it has happened and asked the government to published detailed accounts on EU funds received and spent to-date.

“Just remember,” she wrote, “before we removed PM Gonzi, who I criticised very much for many things, he had secured ONE BILLION Euros of funding from the EU. This was achieved by sheer perseverance of RCC (Richard Cachia Caruana) and his staff in Brussels .
“RCC is gone because we removed him by a Parliamentary vote (including mine) but some of his most capable staff, now joined by some very capable but also the odd useless staff, still hold our Dar Malta fort.

“I do not know RCC personally and have never spoken to him, but I think (from results) that Malta lost its best and most capable ambassador when we removed him with a Parliamentary vote.
“It is true we spent money on him but he worked tirelessly for our nation and got results.

“Now we are spending the same or more money on people who with a few exceptions are not up to their jobs and who are simply incapable of securing the best results for Malta.

“I am sorry I voted for the removal of RCC on that day in Parliament.

“I believed that he was fleecing the nation.

“Now I have seen what real 'nation fleecing ' looks like.

“I made a mistake,” she concluded.