MEP David Casa has written to the secretary general of the European Commission to ensure that the government adheres to standards of good administration in the process to select the new commission representative.

He said the timing and inability to find a suitable candidate from among those who applied through two public calls “raises questions about the integrity of this process” to replace Elena Grech, who has been serving as head of the European Commission Representation in Malta since 2016.

Casa explained in his letter to Ilze Juhansone that the process was launched 10 months before Grech’s departure.

Two calls were issued, first within the commission and then an inter-institutional call. However, none of the applicants were deemed suitable for the post, paving the way for a candidate to be selected through an open call as a temporary agent.

He said this was contrary to the commission’s policy to avoid the recruitment of temporary agents to these posts.

Casa demanded “assurances” that the process was conducted “in a correct and transparent manner” and “in conformity with the standards of good administration expected from the European Commission”.