PN Shadow Minister for Justice Karol Aquilina condemned Prime Minister Robert Abela for putting undue pressure on the judiciary by linking Fearne’s potential European Commission nomination to the outcome of his court case.

Fearne was charged with fraud, misappropriation and fraudulent gain in connection with the hospitals inquiry. He resigned as deputy prime minister and asked for his name to be withdrawn from consideration when charges were filed against him.

Abela said on Wednesday that he would still consider nominating Fearne if the former Health Minister is cleared of criminal charges. “I absolutely do not exclude that,” Abela said. “Actually, it is a possibility and one of the likeliest probabilities. I will wait until July 24 to have a clear picture of the facts.”

Magistrate Leonard Caruana must now decide whether there is enough evidence to proceed with the case. 

Aquilina accused Abela of placing a significant burden on the magistrate and prioritizing partisan objectives over the welfare of Maltese citizens, adding that the prime minister’s actions show a disregard for the judiciary and a failure to learn from recent electoral discontent.

Aquilina also pointed out that Fearne was a member of disgraced former prime minister Joseph Muscat cabinet, which a public inquiry found responsible for creating an atmosphere of impunity that led to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The Nationalist Party called for Abela to retract his statements, adding that the selection of a European Commissioner should be based on Malta’s reputation and governance, not political maneuvering. 

Abela has claimed that a lawsuit by the PN that seeks to recover embezzled funds from the hospitals deal is a more severe attack against Fearne than the smear campaign allegedly funded by Steward Health Care. 

All eyes will be on the judicial system as the case develops to observe how it handles this politically charged environment.