The nomination of Edward Zammit Lewis to serve as a Judge at the General Court of the European Union was a perversion of justice and unequivocal proof that Robert Abela’s government did not care about the national interest and was solely focused on serving the Labour Party and its inner circle, the PN said in a statement.

“Out of all the individuals who expressed interest in this role, the only person chosen was someone who was part of a government condemned by three judges for creating a climate of impunity that led to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia,” the Opposition said, adding this was unacceptable.

Zammit Lewis was exposed as a close friend of Yorgen Fenech during his time as a minister, which was revealed through WhatsApp chats.

Press investigations further revealed Fenech to be the owner of the Dubai-based company 17 Black, set to funnel millions of euro into the two Panama companies former minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri had set up a few days after the 2013 election.

Fenech is accused in court of commissioning Caruana Galizia’s assassination.

“These are facts that no interview or sham selection process can erase,” the Opposition said, insisting his nomination would cause further damage to Malta’s reputation.

The Party stressed that the selection of individuals nominated to serve in high positions within the European Union should be based on merit and competence, not on partisan political convenience.

The Party’s statement was echoed by NGO Repubblika that said in a statement the government had learned nothing.

“When Zammit Lewis was a government minister, his contact with Yorgen Fenech at a time when it was suspected he was involved in government corruption was unacceptable. This was a secret and compromising friendship with an individual eventually accused of ordering the assassination of a journalist,” Repubblika said.