Robert Abela’s scapegoat compensated with a new CEO job

Former Office of the Prime Minister official Aleander Balzan, who was forced to shoulder the blame for Labour’s disappointing performance in the 2024 MEP elections, has now been rewarded with a senior government executive appointment despite having no known experience in either education or the construction sector.

The Shift has learned that Balzan has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools (FTS), the government agency responsible for the planning, procurement and delivery of Malta’s multi-million-euro school building programme.

His appointment was officially announced by Education Minister Byron Camilleri.

Balzan replaces Neville Young, whose tenure at the Foundation was marred by years of controversy, allegations of abuse and discrimination by employees, industrial disputes, and investigations following a series of reports by The Shift.

The latest appointment represents yet another rehabilitation for one of Prime Minister Robert Abela’s closest former aides.

Balzan resigned from Castille in the aftermath of Labour’s poor showing in the 2024 European Parliament elections. Although he officially stepped down as one of Abela’s policy advisers, government sources at the time described him as the political casualty chosen to absorb criticism directed at the Office of the Prime Minister, while Abela himself avoided taking responsibility for Labour’s worst electoral performance since returning to government.

As The Shift revealed earlier this year, Balzan’s departure from Castille did not interrupt his taxpayer-funded career.

Within weeks, he had been handed several government consultancies and public appointments, including advisory roles with Minister Byron Camilleri and former Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg, as well as a seat on the Malta Freeport Corporation board. Those appointments were widely viewed as compensation for his forced exit from the Office of the Prime Minister.

His latest promotion goes considerably further.

As Chief Executive of the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools, Balzan will now lead the agency entrusted with delivering tens of millions of euros worth of public investment in new schools and major educational infrastructure projects across Malta and Gozo.

Yet Balzan’s professional background offers little indication that he possesses the experience required to manage large-scale construction projects or an organisation operating within the education sector.

A former reporter with Labour’s ONE television station, Balzan later built his career almost exclusively within Labour administrations, serving in communications, political advisory and policy roles.

The government has not disclosed the financial package attached to Balzan’s new position.

Balzan’s replacement of Neville Young had long been expected following sustained criticism of his leadership.

Under Young’s tenure, employees repeatedly accused management of fostering a culture of intimidation, discrimination and favouritism, while the Foundation became the subject of industrial disputes and official investigations.

Since 2013, the Foundation has also fallen behind on its commitments to deliver new schools on time and has been engulfed in a series of corruption scandals.