Former minister Konrad Mizzi is still being paid as an MP despite being absent from parliament since March, as he is justifying his absence on medical grounds, the Speaker said on Monday.

Anġlu Farrugia made this clarification in a ruling which he gave in the wake of remarks made last Wednesday by Opposition leader Adrian Delia during a debate on the financial estimates of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority.

Delia had described Mizzi as an “escapee” living in the UK and said he was still getting paid from parliament. MPs receive around €22,000 per year as honorarium.  Delia said that Mizzi would now have no excuse to stay abroad, once flights from the UK resumed.

The former minister has attracted negative publicity since 2016, when he was exposed as having set up a secret offshore structure while in office. He has denied any wrongdoing. 

At the start of the sitting, the Speaker said he felt compelled to clarify the matter in the wake of the fact that the MPs’ attendance fell under his remit.

Farrugia noted that the standing orders, allow MPs who are sick, to be excused as long as they justify their absence with a medical certificate. Mizzi has also adhered to the provision for long-term sickness cases since March 13, by presenting such certificates. He noted that apart from Mizzi there were other MPs who from time to time were excused for a long period of time on medical grounds. 

The Chair also pointed out that contrary to what Delia had said, UK flights to Malta would not be resuming on July 1.  

The Speaker also pointed out that the last time these regulations had been amended was in 2016, through unanimous agreement.

“Should the Opposition leader desire a limit for the period for which MPs are paid while they are sick, he can table amendments to the standing orders for the consideration of the House,” he said.

Farrugia insisted the Chair was adhering to the standing orders in the case of Mizzi.

The matter was raised again a short while later by Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi during question time when he asked Health Minister Chris Fearne for an update on the former minister’s state of health and his date of return.

In his reply, Fearne, lambasted Azzopardi, saying he could not believe how such private and personal matters were being raised in parliament.