Adrian Delia claims he was threatened by new ambassador’s partner
Delia had grilled Roseanne Camilleri about her previous role in overspending scandal
Adrian Delia has asked the Speaker to investigate threats made against him by the partner of a nominee for an ambassadorial post after he voted against her nomination.
Speaking in parliament on Monday, the PN MP said he received the threats while carrying out his duties as a member of parliament’s Public Appointments Committee.
Last Wednesday, the committee held a hearing regarding the nominations of Marco Micallef as the Ambassador of Malta to the USA, and Roseanne Camilleri as the non-resident ambassador in Liechtenstein. Times of Malta understands Delia was referring to Camilleri.
“I asked only questions which were pertinent to the role and the suitability of the candidates,” Delis said.
The following day, Delia said, he received a message from the husband, or partner, of one of the nominees, with the subject line, Even the devil can cite scripture, and which contained threats.
Delia said this was a breach of parliamentary privilege since it was an attempt to stop him from doing his job.
The PN MP requested an investigation by the Speaker, who accepted while asking for the correspondence to be sent to him.
Contacted by Times of Malta, Delia said the alleged threats were “detailed, informed, deviant - intended to cause fear of personal, professional and political harm”.
Asked which nominee he was referring to, he said: “Let’s say that Roseanne Camilleri was the one who fared poorly in the grilling.”
Both Micallef and Camilleri’s appointments were confirmed, although the three PN MPs on the committee voted against Camilleri’s appointment.
Camilleri was suspended last year from her role as CEO of the National Mental Health Services.
Delia grilled her on her previous role as the CEO of Primary Health Care. During her tenure as CEO of Primary Health Care, an internal fact-finding exercise found that during refurbishment works at the Qormi and Birkirkara health centres between 2022 and 2024, costs dramatically skyrocketed due to breaches in public procurement regulations by PHC, a department within the health ministry.
She was subsequently suspended as CEO of the National Mental Health Services pending an investigation into alleged mismanagement of public funds.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Camilleri said that despite being CEO, she was “neither omnipresent nor omnipotent” and denied any wrongdoing, adding that she was the one who approached the permanent secretary to carry out an investigation.
“We are here to ask questions about your ability to serve in a role. I want to make sure that when you are appointed to a role, you carry out what you are required to do,” Delia said.