Arnold Cassola has filed a request for a Standards investigation into Prime Minister Robert Abela over what the independent candidate described as a “propaganda video” published on the Maltese government’s Facebook page.

The 37 second video, published on MaltaGov, contains various shots of Abela meeting people around Gozo, accompanied by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri.

He is seen in the video meeting members of the public, visiting the Nadur Primary School, the works on a new aquatics centre in Rabat, and inaugurating the new Gozo Regional Development Authority offices in Rabat.

“This is nothing more than in your face propaganda for the personality of Robert Abela, paid for by the Maltese taxpayer, which goes against the recommendations for the use of visual adverts on Facebook by Ministers which were published by the Commissioner for Standards,” Cassola wrote in his complaint.

The Standards Commissioner who would investigate the complaint is yet to be appointed, but it is only a matter of time now after the government pushed through a new anti-deadlock mechanism which will mean that it can effectively choose the new Standards Commissioner itself in the case of a stalemate between the government and Opposition.

Former Chief Justice Joseph Azzopardi is the person expected to take on the role, succeeding George Hyzler who cut his term short a year early to take on a post at the European Court of Auditors.

Azzopardi will find a full inbox upon taking office: this is Cassola’s eighth complaint to the Standards office since Hyzler left the post in September.

Previous complaints involve the Prime Minister, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, Active Ageing Minister Jo-Etienne Abela, Education Minister Clifton Grima, and EU Funds Parliamentary secretary Chris Bonett.