Updated 7pm - Finance Minister Edward Scicluna insisted this evening that the government has not yet nominated anyone to become Governor of the Central Bank of Malta. He also told reporters that 'all circumstances' would be considered before a nomination is made.
Prof Scicluna fielded questions in the wake of corruption claims made against the Deputy Governor of the bank, Alfred Mifsud, who had been considered as being in pole position to take the top job on July 1
Earlier today Mr Mifsud said he was suing his former partner for originating the claims against him. He also said he had no problem in being skipped from consideration for the post of Central Bank Governor.
Prof Scicluna confirmed that Mr Mifsud was among those considered for the post of Governor.
"We are well aware of what has come up. One had to maintain a separation between allegations, accusations, counter accusations and possibly criminal goings which impact his current post, but the nomination is a different matter and the government remains free to nominate the best person as governor," Prof Scicluna said.
He said he did not wish to discuss the allegations made.
Asked whether he had met the prime minister to discuss the allegations, Prof Scicluna said he had meetings, adding he also had meetings with the European Central Bank.
Everything would be considered before the government took its decision, he said.
In a statement in the morning, Mr Mifsud reiterated his denial that he took bribes while chairman of Mid-Med Bank, saying the claims were "motivated by revenge and hate."
In a press release that delved into details of his family's private life and included personal correspondence sent to him, Mr Mifsud said he had filed a report of defamation against his former partner and mother of his two children.
Mr Mifsud insisted that the decision to switch IT systems during his time at Mid-Med Bank was made following a "very open and transparent tender" and that most people who worked at the bank at the time could testify that he had not "capriciously scrapped" the existing system.
Mr Mifsud has been accused of taking backhanders running into six figures from a businessman, as well as of lobbying then-EU Health Commissioner John Dalli on behalf of tobacco giant Phillip Morris.
I am very serene that justice will prevail and I will be cleared of any accusations
Blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia has linked the corruption allegations to Mid-Med Bank's decision to switch IT systems.
Mr Mifsud said that his former partner had made a series of "unreasonable" financial demands of him and was determined to "torpedo my appointment to the governorship."
He said that a notarial deed dated September 2006 - and which he attached to his press release - explained any payments she had made to him between 1998 and 2006.
Mr Mifsud concluded by saying that he had "no problem in being skipped from consideration" for the post of Central Bank Governor, and that he had never received official confirmation of being appointed.
He added: "I have opened libel case against the media that originated these claims and now that the source has been identified I filed a report with the police for defamation against Anna Zelbst. These legal actions will take their course and I am very serene that justice will prevail and I will be cleared of any accusations."