The European Commission has no objection to one of its officials contesting next year's European Parliament election on the Nationalist Party ticket.
Former Malta-EU Information centre deputy head Edward Demicoli, who occupies the post of press officer at the European Commission's representation office in Malta, was approved by the PN's executive committee last Wednesday to contest the EP election.
Concern had been raised in some political quarters over a potential conflict of interest, particularly due to the exposure Mr Demicoli already enjoys through his present occupation, but the Commission made it clear that there is nothing in its rules to prevent Mr Demicoli running for public office.
"Mr Demicoli is an EU citizen like anyone else and he has every right to contest for public office," a Brussels-based spokesman for the Commission said.
Even the rules regulating the EU institutions' staff make it clear that officials have every right to contest EP elections. However, the staff regulations also list the parameters regulating the official's role during an electoral campaign period.
Article 15 states that 'an EU official who intends to stand for public office shall notify the appointing authority.'
This authority will then decide, in the light of the interests of the service, whether the official concerned should be granted leave or continue his duties.
These rules also apply in the case of election. In fact, if an EU official is elected as an MEP or in any other public office, he may still retain his job as an EU official although he will be considered on leave of absence.
Mr Demicoli said that he wrote to the Commission last week as soon as he was approved as a PN candidate.
"My personal wish is to take leave as soon as possible in order to be able to concentrate on my campaign. However, I have to wait for instructions from Brussels. It is up to the Commission to stipulate the nature and duration of the leave or indeed if I may avail myself of leave or else continue working full- or part-time."
The son of a former police inspector and PN stalwart Charles Demicoli, Edward Demicoli will be contesting an election for the first time.