The Nationalist Party has slammed Prime Minister Robert Abela for having “one rule for the public and another for his inner circle”, as it reacted to the re-appointment of Professor Edward Scicluna as the governor of the Central Bank.
Scicluna had stepped aside from his duties exactly a year ago as Central Bank Governor, after a court of law found there is enough prima facie evidence for Scicluna and others to stand trial in connection with the Vitals hospitals concession.
He was re-appointed to the role on Tuesday.
“Robert Abela continues to apply one standard for ordinary citizens and another for his political allies. While any civil servant facing criminal charges is immediately suspended pending the outcome of their case, Edward Scicluna, currently facing criminal charges in connection with the Vitals-Steward hospitals scandal, has been reappointed as Governor of the Central Bank of Malta,” the PN said.
The PN strongly condemned this decision, saying that it once again proves that Robert Abela leads with a mentality rooted in impunity and double standards. “Just as he reinstated Ronald Mizzi as Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister, today he has done the same with Edward Scicluna,” the PN noted.
“This government rewards individuals accused of serious wrongdoing so long as they are close to Labour. Meanwhile, other government employees are immediately suspended upon being charged in court, even when the charges are unrelated to their public role,” the party added.
The party said that this is not only discriminatory, but it sends a dangerous message that some are above the law as long as they remain in favour with the Labour administration.
The PN said that by reappointing Edward Scicluna to such a sensitive institutional position, Robert Abela is directly interfering in an ongoing judicial process.
“He is effectively declaring Scicluna innocent before the courts have had their say. This not only undermines the presumption of innocence, but contradicts the Constitution of Malta, which states that it is for the judiciary – not the Prime Minister – to determine guilt or innocence,” the PN said.
The party said that with this decision, Abela is not only violating the principles of good governance but seriously eroding public trust in Malta’s institutions. The Central Bank should be a symbol of integrity, stability, and independence not a political tool for a government that protects its own at all costs.
The PN reaffirmed its position: “no individual facing active criminal charges should be occupying high-ranking institutional posts, paid from public funds, and earning a salary of over €138,000 per year, especially while the Maltese people struggle under the weight of a rising cost of living.”
The PN called for accountability, respect for institutions, and the restoration of ethics and seriousness in Malta’s leadership.