The Nationalist Party has offered its assistance to the government with the aim of finding consensus on Malta’s candidate to replace Toni Abela, whose nomination was rejected by the European Parliament’s budgetary committee.

In a statement today, the PN said that rather than cutting itself from reality, the Labour Party would do well to try to understand the real reasons that led to the rejection of Toni Abela’s nomination.

The PN said Dr Abela failed because he did not satisfy the criteria needed for such a post, including experience in auditing and political independence. Joseph Muscat should have seen this coming before nominating Dr Abela for the post. Instead, Joseph Muscat thought he could take European Institutions for a ride in the same way he did with the Maltese people three years ago, the PN said.

The Labour Party has blamed “a poisonous campaign” that led to the rejection of Dr Abela’s nomination, strongly implicating that the PN was behind it.

In its statement today, the PN said it is normal for candidates to be asked tough questions – as was the case with Joe Borg, Tonio Borg, John Dalli, Louis Galea and Karmenu Vella. But all these were able to answer them and passed the test. If Toni Abela failed, it is clear that he is not fit for purpose. This is the truth, and it is useless for Labour to try to pin the blame on others.

Joseph Muscat’s choice was a bad one right from the start because it was not based on meritocracy. Instead, it was based on political nepotism that does not convince anyone in Europe. The rejection is all Joseph Muscat’s fault, the PN said.

It added that it was ready to help the government to find the best candidate for the job. The PN is ready to support a candidate who is selected for his or her merits, competence, experience and integrity.

In a counter-statement, the Labour Party said that instead of blaming itself for the misinformation it created about Toni Abela, PN leader Simon Busuttil is trying to pontificate.

The PL said it had expressed its support to John Dalli, Tonio Borg and Louis Galea when they were chosen by the PN for posts in Europe. But the PN had played the same game also with Karmenu Vella, but in this case it did not succeed in its intentions.