MP Jean Claude Micallef has been nominated to be Malta’s representative on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) after the proposal to name Konrad Mizzi for the position was formally withdrawn during Tuesday’s parliamentary session.

The government had proposed former minister Konrad Mizzi as head of Malta’s delegation to the OSCE during Monday’s Parliamentary sitting, drawing instant criticism from the Opposition.

The government said it is withdrawing the motion and it is also seeking legal advice on the €80,000 consultancy job that Mizzi was given with the Malta Tourism Authority in December, just two weeks after he resigned as minister responsible for the authority.

During Tuesday’s sitting, PN Deputy Leader David Aguis asked the government for an explanation on the withdrawal of Mizzi’s OSCE nomination. Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri explained that “we felt that it needed to be removed and Jean Claude Micallef is being nominated instead of Konrad Mizzi.”

Minister of Finance and Financial Services Edward Scicluna was asked by PN MP Ryan Callus whether the €10,700 that Konrad had received from his consultancy job will be refunded, to which Scicluna replied that he stands by the statement sent earlier by the Office of the Prime Minister.