Manuel Mallia was offered the job at the European Court of Auditors before former Labour deputy leader Toni Abela was nominated but he turned it down.

The offer came three months before the former home affairs minister, who was sacked by the Prime Minister over his driver’s gung-ho shooting incident in November 2014, was appointed Competitiveness Minister.

“The post was offered to me first and I immediately turned it down,” he said in an interview.

The top criminal lawyer admitted he had initially entertained the prospect of taking up the position in Luxembourg, but by the time the offer was made he was clear in his mind that he wanted to remain in Malta.

“This is my country. I still have young children and I was enjoying settling back in my legal profession,” he added.

Dr Mallia, who was ‘rehabilitated’ in the latest Cabinet reshuffle just 18 months after the Prime Minister had to forcibly remove him, denied that the Office of the Prime Minister had ever promised to return him to the fold to soften the blow.

Although some were angered to see him reinstated, Dr Mallia said the feedback was positive and he did not believe his return to Cabinet would further dent the party’s bruised image. On the contrary, he wanted to help the party’s image so that it would win the next election.