As former minister Edward Zammit Lewis blamed the Opposition for his humiliating rejection for the role of EU Judge, the PN laid the responsibility squarely on Prime Minister Robert Abela’s shoulders, saying the nomination was an embarrassment for the country.

“Nobody in Malta is surprised by the news that Zammit Lewis’s nomination was rejected,” the Opposition said in a statement, adding that the choice was a poor one, driven by political interests rather than the country’s.

“It was obvious from the outset that someone with the tainted record of Zammit Lewis could never pass the scrutiny required for the appointment of judges to the EU General Court.”

The former minister is not the first Maltese nominee to be turned down by the EU court. Others with a far better reputation and acumen than Zammit Lewis – former judge Joseph Filletti and former chief justice Silvio Camilleri – were turned down in the past.

But for Zammit Lewis, his rejection was part of a conspiracy rather than the fact that he was unsuitable for the post for a number of reasons, including the baggage of his association with Yorgen Fenech who is charged with ordering the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

In a social media post, he said an “unacceptable doubt” was cast on the process that was carried out in Malta for his nomination. The interview he attended, he said, was not about whether he possessed the necessary qualifications.

It rarely is. It is assumed that nominees have the necessary background so the issues raised in the interview go deeper, and the candidate’s suitability for the post is evaluated based on his or her track record and knowledge of technical issues.

Yet Zammit Lewis said he faced a “character assassination” in the lead-up to the interview.

The PN hit back. “Robert Abela insulted our nation and all its people by nominating for this important role someone who was part of a government condemned by three judges for creating a climate of lawlessness that led to the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

With such a record, even an idiot would realise that Zammit Lewis’s nomination was against the national interest and would ultimately result in failure and further ridicule for our country.”

The Shift reported in September that Zammit Lewis faced an uphill battle in getting accepted for the role and that it was unlikely. His grilling was even postponed twice.

While Zammit Lewis is thought to have legal experience in Malta due to his short stint as justice minister, his understanding of EU law and his command of the French language, a crucial asset for the job, are very limited.