Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi yesterday defended his wife’s appointment to the rank of ambassador and accused the PN of launching an “unfair”, scathing attack due to his good ministerial performance.

Replying to questions about Sai Mizzi Liang’s role as envoy for Malta Enterprise, Dr Mizzi said it was unfair of PN leader Simon Busuttil to accuse him of giving his family a €2,000-a-week job.

“This has been going on for quite a while and I already gave replies to these questions,” he said.

“Many Nationalist MPs already told me that this is PN payback as they are annoyed that the energy sector is performing well.”

Dr Mizzi said that his wife’s job was pegged to an ambassador’s financial package, which stands at €33,800 per year. His wife is also entitled to “basic allowances”.

While stating the €100,000-a-year package was incorrect, he would not say how much his wife will earn in Shanghai and said Malta Enterprise should answer.

Last week Times of Malta asked the Foreign Ministry for a breakdown of Ms Mizzi Liang’s financial package but has had no reply yet.

Apart from their basic salary, ambassadors are entitled to additional allowances known as global emoluments, which run into more than €50,000 a year.

Many Nationalist MPs told me this is payback as they are annoyed the energy sector is performing well

Additional allowances include representation allowances, free private education for any children and free medical services.

Meanwhile, Dr Mizzi confirmed that since August, when his wife was made an envoy, he has recruited Kevin Chircop – until then head of investment promotion at Malta Enterprise – as his full-time consultant for Enemalta.

But he declined any connection with his wife’s job, stating she “doesn’t even know Mr Chircop”.

“There was no swap with my wife’s job and Mr Chircop has nothing to do with her appointment,” he said.

Dr Mizzi said he “didn’t feel the need” to speak to the Prime Minister on the issue, and said the Cabinet office should answer whether Cabinet has discussed his wife’s appointment, as per normal procedure for ambassadors.

Separately, Dr Mizzi said the recent agreement with Liquigas to introduce a pilot project locking the price of LPG until December was an experiment to provide price security to consumers.

He said the price of LPG cylinders will increase by eight cents per kilogram but there will be no more increases until December.