The government has ruled out nominating Finance Minister Edward Scicluna for a position on the European Court of Auditors following the botched nomination of Labour’s former deputy leader, Toni Abela.

A spokesman said the government had so far not yet identified another nominee for the post.

“It is not the case,” a spokesman replied curtly when asked whether the government was considering nominating Prof. Scicluna for the job.

Sources said Prof. Scicluna was highly critical of the Panamagate scandal that rocked the Labour government.

He told Parliament last week that strong and tough decisions needed to be taken by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat over the revelations in the Panama Papers.

He emphasised that he would “neither defend nor accuse” anyone involved in the Panama leaks but called on his leader to explain the situation without delay.

Sources said the government’s eyes had turned to the present Finance Minister as a replacement after Dr Abela failed to land the job at the court of auditors.

One of the reasons that led to the embarrassing situation was his lack of experience in auditing, sources said.

Dr Abela was grilled by European parliamentarians from the Budgetary Control Committee on his connection to the pre-electoral ‘white block’ scandal and his lack of experience.

He had a hard time fending off questions related to his involvement in the perceived cover-up of cocaine use in a Labour Party club.

A recording emerged prior to the last general election in which Dr Abela is heard describing how a PL club leader stumbled upon a barman carving up a “white block”, interpreted to have been a drug reference.

The matter was raised during the questioning by MEPS, and in the end, 17 of them voted against him and only nine in favour.