Repubblika said Wednesday it has filed a formal complaint with the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life requesting an investigation into serious allegations made under oath by Judge Lawrence Mintoff regarding the conduct of Prime Minister Robert Abela.
Momentum chairman Arnold Cassola also filed a similar request.
Repubblika's complaint, dated 25 February 2026, calls for the examination of allegations including alleged pressure on a court employee, the use of parliamentary questions in a context of personal financial interest, private communications with a sitting judge concerning judicial appointments, and political considerations in relation to the appointment of the Chief Justice.
Repubblika makes no determination of guilt but maintains that allegations of this nature, made under oath by a member of the judiciary, require immediate and independent scrutiny, the NGO said Wednesday.
The purpose of the complaint is to safeguard public trust in institutions and the independence of the judiciary, while the process for appointing the Chief Justice remains ongoing, it said.
The complaint was filed in the wake of a letter sent by sitting judge Lawrence (Wenzu) Mintoff in which he accused Prime Minister Robert Abela of prioritising money and political calculation over judicial independence.
The dispute centres on the succession to Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti, who recently turned 68 and must retire. Although the Nationalist Party proposed Mintoff among four potential nominees, the Labour government has backed other candidates.
In his letter, Cassola said Abela should be investigated after he allegedly communicated directly with a Judge regarding matters concerning the Courts, when on 11 February 2026 he sent for a Judge to speak with him at Castille.
It was also alleged that this communication continued via WhatsApp. Abela allegedly showed that he was prepared to discriminate on the basis of age against individuals in relation to promotions, when he allegedly stated that he was against the appointment of Joseph Azzopardi as well as the Wenzu Mintoff to the post of Chief Justice because they were too old.
It was also allegedly indicated that, in the appointment of the Chief Justice, Abela's primary aim was not meritocracy, but rather that he did not care about upsetting diehards within the Labour Party.
Cassola also contended that it was allegedly showed that, for his own narrow and partisan interests, the Prime Minister wants to postpone the appointment of the Chief Justice until after the election;
Furthermore, it is alleged that the Prime Minister is "a priori" rejecting nominations proposed by the Opposition in order to gain political advantage.
Added to all this is the fact that Robert Abela allegedly showed that he was prepared to throw his own father "under the bus" in order to achieve his ambitions, Cassola wrote.
When one considers this alleged immoral conduct of the Prime Minister, one cannot help but observe that Niccolò Machiavelli appears a novice and an amateur when compared to the alleged conduct of Robert Abela, Cassola said..