The Opposition will not participate in parliamentary hearings to confirm the government's nomination of Angelo Gafà to serve as police commissioner, the Nationalist Party said.

Party General Secretary Francis Zammit Dimech said the way the government had acted so far showed that it was not seeking consensus on the nomination.

The new commissioner would have a one-year probation period, meaning he could be easily dismissed if he sought to investigate certain corruption cases.

Zammit Dimech said the PN would continue to call for consensus on the nomination, to enable the police to regain public confidence.

The PN had proposed that the commissioner be appointed with the support of at least two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives, but the government rejected the idea.   

Instead the Public Service Commission issued a call for applications and after interviewing the candidates, sent a shortlist of two to the Cabinet, which on Monday selected Gafà.

Gafà is a former police inspector now serving as the force's CEO.

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