Everyone in our country knew that the nomination of Edward Zammit Lewis as a Judge at the EU General Court was a poor choice, driven solely by the partisan interests of Prime Minister Robert Abela, the Nationalist Party said Wednesday.

Therefore, today, no one in Malta is surprised by the news that Zammit Lewis's nomination was rejected, in said in a statement signed by justice spokesman Karol Aquilina.

It was obvious from the outset that someone with the "tainted record" of Zammit Lewis could never pass the scrutiny required for the appointment of judges to the EU General Court, the PN said. "Prime Minister Robert Abela disregarded the obvious, stubbornly pushed forward, and, with his typical arrogance, still nominated Zammit Lewis, subjecting him and our country to humiliation beyond our shores."

"Abela insulted our nation and all the people by nominating for this important role someone who was part of a Government condemned by three judges for creating a climate of lawlessness that led to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia."

"Abela deliberately tarnished our country's name again when he decided to nominate as Judge at the EU General Court the close associate of Yorgen Fenech, the individual accused in court of masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia."

"With such a record, even someone as foolish as a simpleton would realise that Zammit Lewis's nomination was against the national interest and would ultimately result in failure and further ridicule for our country, as indeed happened," the PN said.

Therefore, the blame for today's events lies squarely on Prime Minister Robert Abela, the PN said.

"Once again, Abela has shown that he cares nothing for the interests of our country and is solely focused on serving the partisan interests of the Labour Party and its inner circle. With Edward Zammit Lewis's nomination, Robert Abela has once again intentionally made a mockery of our country because it was immediately evident that this nomination was a perversion of justice destined to fail."

The PN said it will continue to insist that the selection of individuals nominated by Malta to serve in high-ranking roles within the European Union should be based on merit and competence, not on partisan political convenience.

Above all, the PN said it refuses to allow the Maltese and Gozitan people to continue suffering the consequences of Robert Abela's poor choices and bad decisions.

PL reply

In its reply, the Labour Party said the PN had maintained its promised of starting a holy war against Malta.

The extremist faction that controls Bernard Grech and the PN had, way back in June, promised a holy war against Malta and the Labour government abroad, the PL said.

Today, it has once again kept its promise, it said.

Edward Zammit Lewis was Malta's candidate for judge at the European Court. He was chosen following a public call and a process presided by a retired judge, the PL said.

The Robert Abela administration and Dr Zammit Lewis himself have spearheaded unprecedented reforms in rule of law and good governance, the PL said. These reforms were endorsed by the Venice Commission and the European Commission, it added. PN administrations never even bothered to carry out these reforms, and today, it had the cheek to once again undermine Malta and the Maltese, the PL said.

Bernard Grech brought no change to the PN, it said. It remained negative with the extremist faction within it continuously undermining Malta's interests abroad, the PL said.