MEP Miriam Dalli and OPM chief of staff Clyde Caruana will be joining the government’s parliamentary group filling two recently-vacated seats.  

In a meeting of the Labour Party executive on Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Robert Abela presented his plan for the two to be co-opted to the House in the coming days.  

The Labour Party confirmed the move on Saturday after the party executive gave it the green light.  

They replace former prime minister Joseph Muscat and backbench MP Etienne Grech who both resigned in the last few days.  

Times of Malta understands that the two are expected to be handed Cabinet posts with a reshuffle of the ministries expected in the coming days. 

Times of Malta reported last week that popular MEP Miriam Dalli is among the possible candidates to replace the former prime minister.

Dalli had declined to comment on speculation linking her to a return to Malta.

She is expected to be replaced in Brussels by Cyrus Engerer.  

An economist by training, Caruana had been executive chairman at the State employment agency since Labour came to power in 2013. 

He had previously worked at the National Statistics Office between 2007 and 2012, and also lectures at the University of Malta.   

During his time at JobsPlus he authored a number of position documents which have been central to the government’s Labour force policy. 

Perhaps the most controversial policy which Caruana had been involved in was the government’s plan to import foreign Labour to sustain economic growth. 

He took up the top OPM post once Robert Abela became prime minister.