Standards Commissioner George Hyzler is set to be nominated by Prime Minister Robert Abela to sit on the EU’s court of auditors.

Abela informed Labour MPs about the planned nomination during a parliamentary group meeting on Friday.

Malta’s current representative, former Labour minister Leo Brincat, sees his six-year term on the court of auditors end this year.

Brincat’s stint, which was renewable by another six years, expires in September.

When contacted, Hyzler declined to comment about the nomination.

The European Court of Auditors is one of the EU's seven key institutions. It is tasked with examining EU finances and their use by the 27 member states.

Each EU country gets to nominate one member to sit on the court.

Leo Brincat, Malta's current nominee to the court.

Nominees must face a grilling by the European Parliament’s budget committee, with a final vote then taken in plenary. Parliament’s opinion is, however, non-binding, as the final decision is taken by the European Council.

It is understood that Hyzler will retain his role as standards commissioner until his nomination receives the green light from the EU.

If successful, the nomination will see his non-renewable five-year term as standards commissioner cut short by one year.

Four years as standards commissioner

Hyzler was the first nominee for the newly created role in 2018, setting up the Standards Commissioner’s office from scratch and leading numerous high-profile investigations into ethical misconduct by MPs.

The former Nationalist parliamentary secretary has proven to be a particular thorn in the government’s side, with two of his ethics reports triggering resignations from cabinet in the past year alone.

Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar stepped down from cabinet in February 2021 after Hyzler concluded she failed to declare income from her role in brokering a multi-million euro property deal with murder suspect Yorgen Fenech.

Cutajar contests the commissioner’s findings.

Fellow Labour MP Justyne Caruana resigned as Education Minister in December following a damning ethics report by the standards commissioner about a government contract she gave to a close friend of hers.

Hyzler’s eventual replacement as standards commissioner will require bi-partisan support in parliament.

Separate talks between the Labour and Nationalist parties have been in deadlock for months over who should be the next Ombudsman, another prominent parliamentary role requiring two-thirds support.

The Opposition had even suggested Hyzler for the Ombudsman role, but the suggestion was reportedly dismissed by the government.