PN refuses to say if it still backs Wenzu Mintoff for chief justice
Opposition has not sent an official letter withdrawing judge's name from its list of nominees
The PN on Friday would not say whether the party still believed Judge Lawrence (Wenzu) Mintoff should be Malta's next chief justice, citing "confidentiality reasons".
The Nationalist Party proposed Mintoff for the post of chief justice on February 21.
Times of Malta is informed that although the PN submitted its nomination for Mintoff on February 21, the nomination letter was backdated to the previous day - February 20.
On that same day - February 20 - Mintoff sent a letter to the cabinet with a series of allegations made under oath against the prime minister.
Since then, in comments to Times of Malta, the PN denied knowledge of the letter before submitting its nomination.
It said Judge Mintoff's "professional integrity, long-standing service, and commitment to due process are well documented and were the basis upon which we had considered him, in confidence, as a suitable candidate".
Asked on Friday whether the PN still believed Mintoff could be nominated for the post, following revelations that Mintoff had sent the letter, PN's Joe Giglio said he would not comment on the matter as discussions were confidential.
"My answer is simple. As I've reiterated, such conversations should remain confidential in the same way that whoever is being proposed, including anyone who is no longer being considered for the post. I will continue respecting confidentiality," Giglio said.
Times of Malta is informed that the PN has not sent an official letter withdrawing Mintoff's name from its list of nominees.
Giglio was also asked whether he stood by his previous declaration that the new chief justice should not be involved in controversy. He said it should not be up to him to decide whether the letter sent by Mintoff and subsequent events were controversial.
Joe Giglio and Darren Carabott at the press conference on Friday morning. Photo: Matthew MirabelliMintoff's letter
In his five-page letter to cabinet, Mintoff asks for Robert Abela to be removed from talks, negotiations and decisions on the appointment of the new Chief Justice, claiming the prime minister is biased against him.
Among others, in the letter, Mintoff claimed he had met Abela to discuss the appointment.
On Wednesday, Abela confirmed he had met Mintoff, but said the PN's Joe Giglio had also met with members of the judiciary to ask them if they were interested in becoming chief justice.
He told journalists there was no ethical issue with meeting members of the judiciary to discuss the appointment of a chief justice and that it was “obvious” he would hold such meetings.
The following day, PN leader Alex Borg said in a video posted on Facebook that Abela had not denied any of the claims.
He later insisted the PN is prepared to continue discussions on the appointment of the next chief justice.
Speaking in a televised interview on Thursday evening, Borg said it was “crucial” that discussions continue “in private”.
Justice Minister Jonathan Attard had said on Wednesday he was still waiting for feedback from the PN on the latest government nominee for the chief justice role.
The PL's nomineed for the role is Madam Justice Miriam Hayman.