Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi will not contest the next general election
Minister had his portfolio changed twice in a short space of time
Updated 5.40pm
EU Funds Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi will not contest the next general election, he told Times of Malta.
“I confirm that I have informed Prime Minister Robert Abela that I will not contest the next general election to dedicate more time to my family and return to my profession,” the EU Funds Minister said.
He added he will continue offering his services to the Labour Party “as I have done for the past 30 years”.
Zrinzo Azzopardi will remain in his ministerial role for the time being, saying: “Presently, my focus is to carry out the ministerial duties entrusted to me by Prime Minister Abela.”
The news comes after Zrinzo Azzopardi, an ever-present figure in Robert Abela’s Cabinet, had his ministerial portfolios changed twice in a short space of time - first from Planning Minister to Lands, and then in May to Minister for EU Funds, the role he currently occupies.
Times of Malta reported that the May mini-reshuffle was triggered by Zrinzo Azzopardi after the Lands Authority, which he oversaw, reinstated Kurt Buhagiar without his approval. Buhagiar stands accused of the involuntary homicide of Jean Paul Sofia.
Reacting to the news on Friday afternoon, Sofia's mother Isabelle Bonnici expressed her disappointment that the minister had been transferred to another ministerial portfolio as a consequence. "That is the thanks you received for acting like a responsible man and minister," she commented on Facebook.
"Although I criticised you many times for halting work on the building code (as was reported) and for voting against carrying out a reform in the sector you yourself led, I equally admired and thanked you for not agreeing to the decision that one of the accused in my beloved son’s murder be allowed to return to work," she said.
As Lands Minister, Zrinzo Azzopardi was also reluctant to sign a new concession deal with db Group that could see over €4 million in ground rent deferred to the end of the company’s 99-year concession at St George’s Bay real estate.
During his time as minister, the deal was planned to be far more favourable to the Maltese hospitality giant, sources have said.
Following those two instances, the relationship between Prime Minister Robert Abela and Zrinzo Azzopardi soured.
Before that, Zrinzo Azzopardi, as Planning Minister, was spearheading legal changes that would have stopped construction projects from beginning until all appeals procedures had been exhausted.
Those plans halted in January 2024 when he was moved from the Planning portfolio to Lands Minister.
Zrinzo Azzopardi was first elected to Parliament in 2017. In January 2020, freshly appointed Prime Minister Abela made the Naxxar lawyer Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds.
After his successful re-election to Parliament in March 2022, Zrinzo Azzopardi was made Public Works and Planning Minister before eventually moving to Lands and then EU Funds.
Labour Party CEO Leonid McKay told Times of Malta he has been in touch with Zrinzo Azzopardi on the matter.
"As he has always done, I look forward to Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi continuing to give his valuable service to the Labour Party."