Interior Minister Byron Camilleri has confirmed The Shift’s recent story that since former Armed Forces of Malta deputy commander Mark Mallia was made Identity Malta CEO, the government agency has been inundated with part-time soldiers called in to assist at the agency.

Asked to state in Parliament how many AFM personnel are currently on Identity Malta’s books as part-timers, the Interior Minster said the agency has so far employed 64 part-timers.

But when asked to state how many of these new recruits were members of the AFM, Camilleri declined to give any details and only said that some were soldiers but “there are also others”.

According to the minister, the part-time staff was recruited as a matter of “urgency” since the agency needed to step up the issuing of documents, in particular for third-country nationals.

Camilleri told Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Joe Giglio that all the part-timers are expected to have their postings at Identity Malta terminated by the end of next month.

The Shift recently reported that several soldiers, mostly Mallia’s colleagues from his army days, had somehow found part-time work at Identity Malta after Mallia’s appointment.

The Shift was also informed that even though the new part-timers are full-time soldiers, many were spotted inside Identity Malta’s offices even when they were supposed to be on duty for the AFM.

Mallia has so far not replied to The Shift’s questions asking him to explain how former colleagues were being recruited to the agency.

Mallia – who was aide de camp for former President George Abela, the Prime Minister’s father – was named Identity Malta CEO with a financial package of over €100,000 a year. He also retained the right to remain on the AFM’s books so as to remain eligible for an extra disciplined forces pension once he reaches 25 years of service.