Recent promotions in the army’s top ranks amounted to a Labour Party “takeover”, according to the Opposition.
The charge was made by Nationalist Party deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami and home affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi in the wake of army promotions announced last week. Four majors were promoted to lieutenant colonels, the third highest rank.
Addressing a press conference outside the Palace in Valletta, Dr Fenech Adami said the latest developments at the AFM were “worrying”. He said the National Security Ministry in May had changed the promotion criteria to accommodate those close to the Labour Party.
Using strong words, Dr Azzopardi described the four promoted AFM officers – Mark Mallia, Pierre Vassallo, Mark Said and Jeffrey Curmi – as “Labour militants” and “Government lackeys”.
They are Labour militants and Government lackeys
He said the four former majors lacked the necessary military and academic preparedness to be promoted, adding that none of them had shown interest for career advancement by taking courses abroad as others had done.
Dr Azzopardi emphasised that Lt Col Pierre Vassallo had been denied security clearance in 2006 by the Security Service which barred him from holding a post that made him privy to sensitive information.
The case concerned disciplinary action in 1986 initiated by the Police Commissioner when Lt Col Vassallo was a member of the police force.
Dr Azzopardi asked what had changed the Security Service’s mind, seven years later, to grant security clearance.
“There must have been political pressure on the Security Service to issue the clearance this time around. Is Labour in cahoots with the Security Service?”
He also pointed out that eligibility criteria for promotions had been relaxed in May to allow Lt Col Mark Mallia – who is attached to the President’s office – to be promoted after serving as a major for only one year.
On Lt Col Jeffrey Curmi, who is earmarked for the post of commander, Dr Azzopardi said he was “a close family friend” of the Prime Minister. He also accused Lt Col Mark Said of having abandoned his job at the AFM air wing in March to go celebrate the Labour Party election victory.
But Dr Azzopardi reserved his harshest criticism for National Security Minister Manuel Mallia for changing the rules of the appointment board, which now included members from the secretariat.
“This is unprecedented since never have members of ministers’ secretariats sat on selection boards,” Dr Azzopardi said, questioning the competence of the two appointees on military matters.
He said this decision was tantamount to political interference.