TMID Editorial: The Zammit Lewis nomination
The government has not said much on reports that Edward Zammit Lewis will be named as Malta’s appointee on the General Court of the European Union. It’s only reaction has been to reply to a letter which was sent to the registrar of the co
The government has not said much on reports that Edward Zammit Lewis will be named as Malta’s appointee on the General Court of the European Union. It’s only reaction has been to reply to a letter which was sent to the registrar of the court by a civil society group. In it, the government says that the process to select Malta’s candidate is still ongoing. It does not mention Zammit Lewis by name, but it is already in defence mode, which indirectly exposes its intentions.
Zammit Lewis has been indicated in media reports as getting the nod to replace Ramona Frendo, who has occupied the seat since 2019, and who is to now move to the European Court of Justice. The government announced Frendo’s nomination last month.
Frendo’s move was followed by reports that former minister Zammit Lewis, who now sits on the Labour backbench in Parliament, is Abela’s choice to replace her. After serving as first Tourism Minister, then Minister for European Affairs and Equality under Joseph Muscat, and lastly as Justice Minister under Robert Abela, Zammit Lewis was not given a portfolio after the Labour Party won the 2022 election.
The idea to nominate him for the European post has been criticised by the Nationalist Party, which described the potential nomination as an “insult to all those who believe in justice”. It said that the choice should be on merit, not political convenience.
Civil society group Repubblika has gone one step further, writing to the European Court of Justice to ask it to refuse Zammit Lewis’ nomination. Zammit Lewis’ presence would tarnish the court’s reputation and compromise its responsibility to be perceived as the protector of the rule of law, Repubblika said.
In its reply through the Justice Minister, after saying the selection process is still to be completed, registered its objection “to (Repubblika’s) misguided and convoluted letter”, saying all candidates should be considered “fairly”.
There are several reasons for the opposition to Zammit Lewis’ nomination.
Zammit Lewis had publicly defended Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri when it was revealed that they had opened companies in Panama. Mizzi and Schembri are now accused, together with Joseph Muscat, of serious criminal offences following the completion of the magisterial inquiry into the now-rescinded deal which saw three public hospitals passed on to be run by private companies.
Zammit Lewis was also part of the government which was collectively condemned by a public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia as having allowed a culture of impunity that led to the journalist’s murder. The State had been responsible for her murder, the public inquiry had ruled.
His famous – or infamous – chats exchanged with Yorgen Fenech, the man who stands accused of being a mastermind behind the Caruana Galizia assassination have also been brought up as a reason for which his nomination should be either withdrawn by the government or rejected by the court. Zammit Lewis maintained an intimate relationship with Fenech, Repubblika said in their letter.
Malta is risking another rejection, similar to others we had in the past, and it is not in Malta’s interests that this happens. Malta’s relationship with matters related to the European Union is not on solid ground – and not only in matters of appointment.
We have issues related to hunting and the selling of passports, and the more recent news about an excessive deficit procedure initiated against Malta, and the humiliation of another rejection will not make things better.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
