What will it take for the Central Bank Governor to quit?

Aqra bil-Malti

Opposition spokesperson Karol Aquilina said in a statement that the judicial system had not succumbed to Prime Minister Robert Abela’s pressure as the court decided on Wednesday that there was enough evidence for Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and Central Bank Governor Edward Scicluna, among others, to face criminal charges.

This spells the end of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne’s hopes for a post at the European Commission, while calls for the Central Bank’s Governor Edward Scicluna to resign are increasing.

Fearne was health minister when he told the public that the concession of three public hospitals to Steward Healthcare was “the real deal” despite evidence published by the press on a fraudulent deal the government had sealed with Vitals Global Healthcare.

Steward Health Care acquired the concession from Vital Global Healthcare for €1 amid concerns of fraud and corruption. The deal was annulled by the court.

Central Bank Governor Edward Scicluna was Finance Minister when the deal was sealed. He has claimed he was not informed of developments and the decisions taken were part of disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s “kitchen cabinet“, yet the court has decided there was enough evidence to proceed against him.

This has led to calls for the Central Bank Governor’s resignation. MEP David Casa questioned what it would take to make Scicluna resign. Although, Scicluna has made it clear he has no intention of doing that, saying nobody could fire him.

Enough prima facie evidence to prosecute incumbent Malta Central Bank Governor Edward Scicluna who has so far resisted calls for his resignation despite facing criminal charges. At what point will he stop dragging Malta’s reputation through the mud and resign?

— David Casa (@DavidCasaMEP) July 24, 2024

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech also called for immediate resignations, saying, “With every passing day, Robert Abela confirms that he was, and still is, involved in the biggest fraud ever committed in the country.”

The accused are charged with fraud. Others, including former permanent secretaries Alfred Camilleri (currently one of the Curia’s financial advisers) and Joseph Rapa, former VGH lawyer Deborah Anne Chappell and current permanent secretary Ronald Mizzi, are also charged with misappropriation. Mizzi resigned following the court ruling.

Lawyers from DF Advocates, a firm involved in major controversial deals when chief of staff Keith Schembri was at Castille, are also accused. These are Kevin Deguara, Kenneth Deguara and Jean Carl Farrugia.