George Hyzler on Monday expressed his hope that "maturity and good sense prevail" over the appointment of his successor as standards commissioner. 

The parliamentary watchdog role has been vacant since September, when Hyzler took up a post at the European Court of Auditors in Luxembourg. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela and opposition leader Bernard Grech have so far failed to agree on who will take his place. 

Although the appointment requires consensus from both political parties in parliament, Abela last week sought to amend the law by introducing an anti-deadlock mechanism. 

The mechanism will allow the government to push through its preferred choice, former chief justice Joe Azzopardi, as standards commissioner. 

During a visit to Malta's National Audit Office, Hyzler expressed his hope that the work started during his tenure as standards czar continues with the same enthusiasm. 

"The quicker a consensus is reached, the better, including for the credibility of the institution". 

Hyzler policing of parliamentary standards saw a number of high-profile resignations, including two cabinet members. 

In July last year, then-junior minister Rosianne Cutajar confirmed her resignation following a report by the standards commissioner that recommended that she be investigated by tax authorities over her dealings with businessman Yorgen Fenech.

And in December Justyne Caruana resigned as education minister following a job-for-a-friend scandal, in the second time she had to step down from cabinet.

It followed a standards commissioner report that found that a €15,000 contract she gave her close friend and former Malta footballer Daniel Bogdanovic violated ethics rules and constituted an abuse of power.