Opinion: Unfit for purpose

Robert Abela picked the worst possible choice.  He could have picked Veronique Dalli, who applied for the post. Instead, he nominated Edward Zammit Lewis for Judge at the EU General Court.

Zammit Lewis isn’t unfit for the role just because of his close relationship with Yorgen Fenech. It’s because of a pattern of shocking behaviour and catastrophic errors of judgement.

He didn’t just keep up an inappropriate relationship with Fenech while cabinet minister when everybody knew Fenech owned 17 Black, a company meant to pass kickbacks to Keith Schembri’s and Konrad Mizzi’s secret companies.

Zammit Lewis was at Fenech’s beck and call, even when he was justice minister: “Just tell me and I will be there”, “I am always available”, “U tell me and where u want to go”, “Whenever you want, I’ll leave it free and we’ll stay together”, “you know I’m always there”.

He begged him, “Answer me”,  “organise something at the ranch and Keith and I will come”, “Can I call you?”, “Take me with you”, “You never take me”.

He sucked up to him. “Today they asked me if I know you; I am proud to know you”, “I miss you so much”, and “For me, you are the most important”.

Zammit Lewis knew that even the Council of Europe, in its resolution, had identified 17 Black’s involvement in Malta’s corruption scandal. Yet he kept up daily communication with Fenech.

Hundreds of messages passed between the two between January and October 2019, just days before Fenech’s arrest over his suspected involvement in journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination.

Zammit Lewis’ grovelling to Fenech was revolting. The rest was potentially criminal.

Zammit Lewis was advising Yorgen Fenech on handling the media and PN MPs. He commented on Fenech’s statement about David Thake: “What a good answer, well done.. yes, at the end, it was well worded”.

He advised, “Be careful who you trust in PN because they’re not trustworthy”.

Meanwhile, Zammit Lewis made pejorative comments about fellow ministers: “CC (Chris Cardona) is not that strong; he is lucky.”

He was informing Fenech about the prime minister’s whereabouts: “I came on a little cruise with the prime minister”.

He passed offensive homophobic slurs – “for me, they are all ‘pufti’” and mocked the gay community.  When Fenech advised him, “Remove that bit about equality; we don’t deserve it; it will be interpreted as minister of pufta”, Zammit Lewis replied, “Come on, surely I don’t have any conflict of interest”.

He joined in with Fenech’s inappropriate comments about “il-Qormija” and MP Kristy Debono’s physical appearance. “She’s pretty in the flesh”, Fenech commented. Zammit Lewis replied “I have no doubt” adding: “She likes you and spoke highly of you”.

Fenech asked Zammit Lewis to send Debono a message:  “Are you still on good terms with KD? If you find a quiet moment, tell her”.

Zammit Lewis passed information about the Opposition to Fenech, informing him about the “internal pressure” placed on Kristy Debono to apologise for her meeting with him.

Zammit Lewis made disparaging comments about Labour supporters, calling them stupid and idiots interested only in personal favours. He confided with Fenech that he preferred to be with him at Conca del Sogno rather than at B’Kara’s village feast, about which he commented, “How depresssing”.

Zammit Lewis mocked his own colleagues, calling them “children” and “posers” and having “zero competence”. He discussed cabinet appointments with Fenech.

Worst of all, Zammit Lewis protected Fenech over the 17 Black allegations.  On 29 January 2019, he addressed a press conference with then-MP Robert Abela,  denouncing former Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil for insisting on an inquiry into 17 Black.  Zammit Lewis attempted to prevent any investigation into Fenech and his suspicious links to former minister Konrad Mizzi and former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri.

Magistrate Francesco Depasquale had just rejected Busuttil’s appeal for an inquiry into revelations made by the Daphne Project about Fenech’s 17 Black. Abela attacked Busuttil, accusing him of “an enormous degree of disrespect for the rule of law”, ironically commenting: “Busuttil and bella compania… are on a crusade against Malta’s institutions”.

Zammit Lewis joined in; “The people should take note of today’s judgement… there was no basis for an investigation into the Panama papers.”

Abela and Zammit Lewis were intent on protecting Yorgen Fenech. That was the whole point of their press conference. So proud was Zammit Lewis of his performance that he sent Fenech the link to a media report article quoting his comments. He was using his political influence to pervert justice.

There was more. On 29 November 2019, Zammit Lewis was part of the cabinet that rejected Yorgen Fenech’s request for a presidential pardon.  Zammit Lewis cast his vote.   He failed to declare his conflict of interest, failed to recuse himself, and hid his close friendship with Fenech from his cabinet colleagues.

Zammit Lewis lacks decency, honesty, self-respect, loyalty, shame, and, most importantly, judgment, which is an essential requisite for the job for which he is nominated.

Why nominate for EU General Court judge a homophobic, dishonest sycophant who, while cabinet minister, was secretly informing and advising the owner of the Electrogas consortium and 17 Black, and using his political influence to pervert justice?

Only Robert Abela knows the answer. What’s clear is that Zammit Lewis is entirely unfit for the post. Abela humiliates the entire country with his nomination.

The seven-person panel that will decide on Zammit Lewis cannot possibly accept his nomination. If they did, it would destroy the little credibility left in the Maltese population that the EU stands for the basic principles of justice, integrity, meritocracy, and decency.