Malta’s top diplomats are in for some turbulence in the coming weeks with many already told to pack their bags and return home while others were instructed to move sideways to different posts abroad, Times of Malta has learnt.
Senior diplomatic sources told this newspaper that many current ambassadors, including career diplomats, have already been informally told that their postings are over, even if some of them have been in the post for less than a year.
Last week Foreign Minister George Vella revealed that his ministry is currently carrying out “an audit of Maltese embassies” to take stock of the current situation.
He said this audit should be completed in two weeks’ time.
The Foreign Ministry did not wish to confirm that a former Labour Party official is to be appointed Ambassador to Belgium
However, sources at the Foreign Ministry told Times of Malta that the “audit” mentioned by Dr Vella is a full-blown transfer exercise aimed at re-shuffling various ambassadorial posts around the world and putting in place ‘diplomats’ and political appointees close to the current administration.
According to the sources, changes have already been planned for the majority of Malta’s embassies abroad.
The majority of Malta’s ambassadors and permanent representatives – including those in Paris, Beijing, Riyadh, Athens, Brussels, Vienna, Tunis, Rome, Geneva and Berlin – have already been advised to prepare to leave their posts.
Ambassadors are normally appointed for an initial term of three years extendable to five.
However, as is normally expected, ambassadors must offer their resignation after a change in administration. This applies particularly to political appointees.
“Changes are imminent and many ambassadors have already been given clear indications about their new pastures,” one senior diplomat said.
“What’s strange is that career ambassadors are also being moved even though some of them only presented their credentials quite recently.
“Under normal circumstances, career diplomats are only moved once their term is up.
“This apparently will not happen in Malta this time round,” another seasoned career diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
Although some ambassadors told Times of Malta they were not expecting these sudden ‘political transfers’ this is not the first time that such changes took place.
A source at the Foreign Ministry referred to 1987, when a new PN administration replaced almost all the senior diplomats. “One of them was even sent to work at the post office,” the source said.
When contacted, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry did not wish to confirm that a former Labour Party official is to be appointed Ambassador to Belgium while a former political appointee who was Ambassador to France under Alfred Sant’s short administration will be returning to Paris.
However, the spokesman confirmed changes are in the pipeline.
“The periodic change of ambassadors and diplomatic post holders in Malta’s embassies abroad is a normal procedure that happens according to the exigencies of diplomatic service,” the spokesman said.
“Normal procedures of recall and termination of postings and appointments are being scrupulously followed,” he said.