Leo Brincat could expect to be questioned about Panama Papers when he faces MEPs over his nomination to the European Court of Auditors, according to MEP and ex-prime minister Alfred Sant.

The head of the Labour Party’s MEP delegation said Mr Brincat would probably be asked about “particular and general” issues that arose from the Panama affair.

“[Panama Papers] is a very hot topic in the European Parliament, riding on the fervour already generated by Luxleaks [a leakage last year of tax-dodging agreements between the government of Luxembourg and large multinational companies],” Dr Sant said.

Leo Brincat will face MEPs over his nomination to the Court of Auditors, and Alfred Sant (above) and David Casa (below) agree that he should be prepared to answer questions about Malta’s current political situation.

It is a view shared by the Nationalist Party’s head of delegation, David Casa, who cautioned against an isolationist view of Malta. He said MEPs not only had access to information available on the internet but also to daily printed Maltese newspapers. “The European Parliament wants to probe Panama Papers and in the circumstances, I would expect MEPs to ask Leo Brincat about the matter.”

Mr Brincat would have to be prepared to answer on the current political situation – apart from being well-prepared on the subject matter, Mr Casa added.

Panama Papers issues, both particular and general, will probably be raised, and Leo Brincat will have to rise to the occasion in his replies, which I am sure he will

The warning signal was raised by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil in Parliament this week during the debate on the no confidence motion against minister without portfolio Konrad Mizzi.

During the debate, Dr Busuttil turned to Mr Brincat and said he could expect to be questioned about his vote of support for the minister when grilled by MEPs. All Labour MPs toed the party line during the vote, despite some of them having wanted Dr Mizzi to resign.

In the wake of the Panama affair, which embroiled Dr Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri, Mr Brincat publicly warned his own government about the risk of undermining its achievements as a result of “avoidable mistakes”.

Dr Busuttil’s comment may have sounded like a threat that the Nationalist Party would be pushing the matter itself in the European Parliament when Mr Brincat faces MEPs sometime next month. But for casual observers of the European scene, it was evident the Panama Papers affair and its Malta link would crop up.

The European Parliament is currently discussing the creation of a committee to probe Panama Papers, which on its own is an indication of the importance MEPs are giving the subject, according to Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola. He believes Mr Brincat has an advantage over the botched nomination of his predecessor, former Labour deputy leader Toni Abela, because of his experience in public administration and professional experience in the auditing field.

“These qualities will obviously help him,” Prof. Cassola said, adding there did not seem to be skeletons from Mr Brincat’s past that could jeopardise his candidature.

It is a sentiment shared by Dr Sant: “Panama Papers issues, both particular and general, will probably be raised during the interview, and Leo Brincat, and other nominees, will have to rise to the occasion in his replies, which I am sure he will.”

However, Mr Casa expressed disappointment that in the aftermath of Dr Abela’s botched candidature last month, the government did not consult the Opposition on the new nominee.

Mr Casa said the PN MEPs had worked to garner support for Dr Abela and yet were still accused of trying to hamper his candidature. “The Opposition has not been asked to help with Mr Brincat’s candidature yet. We will help, but whether Mr Brincat is approved or not does not depend on us but on his performance during the grilling,” Mr Casa said.

We will help, but whether Mr Brincat is approved or not does not dependon us but on his performance

Mr Brincat was first elected to Parliament in 1981. During the period he also served as president of the Labour Party. His first experience in public administration was in 1986 when he was appointed parliamentary secretary for housing and information, a post he occupied for less than 12 months until the 1987 election.

In 1984 the PN newspaper uncovered a letter Mr Brincat had sent on behalf of several families to then Public Investments Minister Philip Muscat, recommending they be allowed to have colour televisions. It was a symbol of the cronyism at the time, but the incident, so far back, is unlikely to have any impact on Mr Brincat’s candidature.

European Commissioner Karmenu Vella’s past as a minister in the notorious Labour government of 1981 – with much more involvement than Mr Brincat – was not a stumbling block for his appointment to the Brussels executive.

In 1996, when the Labour Party was elected to government again, Mr Brincat was first made commerce minister and months later finance minister. Mr Brincat’s third stint in public administration came after the 2013 election when he was made environment minister, a post he relinquished last week following his nomination to the European Court of Auditors.