Updated with government's reply

Alfred Mifsud should suspend himself from his role as deputy governor of the Central Bank until he clears his name, the Nationalist Party is insisting

Addressing a press conference, party deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said that now that the police were investigating claims of a criminal nature against Mr Mifsud, he should have the decency to at least suspend himself.

"You can't have a deputy governor who holds on to his seat even though he is under criminal investigation. He should at least make way until investigations are concluded," Dr Fenech Adami said.

He also said that while the police were correct to investigate such serious claims, the Nationalist Party could not understand what was keeping the acting police commissioner from doing the same regarding the serious claims involving the PM's chief of staff Keith Schembri and minister Konrad Mizzi.

Spokeswoman Kristy Debono said that the latest claims on the deputy governor were harming Malta's reputation as a financial services centre.

OPPOSITION PLAYING A DANGEROUS GAME

In a reply, the government said the Central Bank currently enjoyed full independence in its administration and there were clear rules and procedures of how it should be managed. It also had the full scrutiny of the European Central Bank.

The Opposition, it said, was playing the same dangerous game with the Central Bank that it used to play in government, involving itself in the bank’s administration.

The way the Opposition was projecting itself, the government said, reflected a very bad way of governance in a very sensitive manner.