Updated 1.15pm - Added Simon Busuttil comments

• MEPs reject Brincat with 229-381 vote
• Brincat will now ask the Council of Ministers to overrule EP vote
• PN says the Prime Minister only has himself to blame for the outcome
• Government says Opposition is intent on playing political games

MEPs this afternoon rejected Leo Brincat's nomination for the Court of Auditors with 229 votes for and 381 against. There were 58 abstentions.

However, Mr Brincat will be ploughing ahead and referring his nomination to the Council of Ministers for consideration. The EP vote is consultative and the Council may choose to ignore it.

Just before the vote was taken, the chair of the Budgetary Control Committee noted that it was appropriate for Council to take note of Parliament's decision despite it being of a consultative nature.

In a statement issued right after the vote results were announced, Mr Brincat said he took note of the European Parliament vote, but would forge ahead regardless.

"The members of this committee led me to declare at my hearing before them that I would respect their decision, which in my case was a positive one.

"I also note that at no stage of the plenary process, or that of the hearing by the Budgetary Control Committee, were my integrity, competence, knowledge and experience ever put in any doubt," Mr Brincat said.

The next step.. My nom.4 the #EuropeanCourtofAuditors to be referred to the Council of Ministers as per EU Treaties pic.twitter.com/BAJavPkg1t

— Leo Brincat (@LeoBrincat) September 13, 2016

 

Mr Brincat said he was now referring his nomination to the Council of Ministers. 

This was the second rejection of a Maltese candidate for the European Court of Auditors post, after Toni Abela was rejected at the initial Budgetary Control Committee stage.

Although Mr Brincat performed well during his Budgetary Committee interview, his decision to vote against a no-confidence motion in the Panama Papers-tainted minister Konrad Mizzi was questioned by MEPs. 

Mr Brincat defended himself, saying that he thought Dr Mizzi ought to have resigned but that Malta's parliamentary system meant he "had no choice" but to follow the Labour Party's directives and vote along party lines. 

Yesterday, the European Parliament's largest grouping, the European People's Party, said that its MEPs would vote against Mr Brincat's nomination. The EPP highlighted the Panama Papers scandal and Malta's cash-for-passports scheme as key factors in the decision to oppose Mr Brincat.  

"We cannot in our wildest dreams accept Mr Brincat as member of the European Court of Auditors, out of all institutions, as he was until recently part and parcel of this government," the EPP said.  

Malta's name in the mud yet again - PN

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that Malta’s name had yet again been vilified by European institutions. 

Neither Mr Brincat or the previous ECA nominee Dr Abela had been rejected because of their personal capabilities, the PN said, but rather because of the corruption that had overtaken Joseph Muscat’s government.

European institutions, like the Maltese people, also failed to accept a Prime Minister who was an accomplice to his two friends in such a corruption scandal, the PN said.

The PN said Dr Muscat should immediately drop Mr Brincat’s nomination and nominate someone worthy of the position.

It insisted it would support a worthy nominee, but that it had never been consulted because the Prime Minister's priority was not a nominee's capabilities, but rather seeing whether they formed part of his clique.

 

 

Vote shows that revelations in Panama Papers 'indefensible' - Nationalist MEPs

Nationalist MEPs David Casa and Roberta Metsola said the vote demonstrated unequivocally that the revelations in the Panama Papers were indefensible. 

“Institutionalised corruption has no place in any EU member state... The actions of this Labour government are creating the perception that Malta’s standards have plummeted.

"It is our duty – as representatives of the people of Malta and Gozo – to show that we do not condone the actions of Minister Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri.

"The damage to Malta’s reputation, particularly at this crucial period before our Presidency of the Council of the EU, will continue until the rot that has taken over Castille is removed," they said.

 

Opposition set on playing games - Government

In another statement, the government noted that Mr Brincat’s competence and integrity had never been questioned.

The fact that some Maltese MEPS had opposed his nomination confirmed that the Opposition was set on playing political games rather than safeguarding the country’s interests, the government said. 

A serious Opposition would have worked to support Malta in all international fora and wherever necessary, as had happened in past legislatures, in spite of any reservations there could be.

The government said it looked forward to the Council’s decision - the third test and the decisive one for Malta’s nominee.

 

Partisan interests come first for the PN - Labour

In its reaction, the Labour Party said partisan interests were more important for the PN than the national interest.

It said it was shameful that Maltese MEPs elected to represent the interests of the country had voted against the nomination of a Maltese to serve in a European institution.

The PL said it unreservedly condemned the actions, motions, purpose and methods of the three Nationalist MEPs.

 

Brincat paid for shameful behaviour of Mizzi and Schembri - AD

Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola said Leo Brincat, who had the political experience and the professional background to be able to do a decent job in the European Court of Auditors, ended up paying for the shameful and unethical behaviour of Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri.

"Unfortunately, it is our whole country's reputation that is being internationally smeared in the process. Our country cannot afford this going on. Matters can only get worse in the next months. The European Parliament Panama Investigation committee will be coming to Malta by the end of the year to collect facts and interview witnesses."

Prof. Cassola said it was imperative that Dr Muscat immediately ditched Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri and any other politician involved in the Panama Papers scandal.

“Malta simply cannot afford being foul mouthed internationally any longer because of this lot,” he said.