Director of Information Martin Bugelli will soon relinquish his post after being selected by the European Commission to head its representation in Malta.

Mr Bugelli was selected following a tough competition which saw some 50 applicants, including top civil service employees such as ambassadors and permanent secretaries vie for the plum job which comes with a €85,000 net salary and various other perks.

“We have just finished the recruitment process which has taken us a long time due to the high number of Maltese applicants,” sources close to the Commission said, adding that Mr Bugelli proved to be the best candidate. Mr Bugelli, who has occupied various important roles in the public service – including Director General for Agriculture and Agriculture attaché at Malta’s Permanent Representation in Brussels – will succeed Joanna Drake, the first Maltese to occupy the prestigious post following Malta’s EU accession.

Since Dr Drake left in January 2010 to become a director at the EU’s civil service in Brussels the post was temporarily assumed by acting head Bill Martin – an EU official sent from Brussels.

Mr Bugelli, 51, hails from Cospicua and served for a long time in the secretariat of Ugo Mifsud Bonnici both during his ministerial and Presidential roles. He graduated in English and has a Masters in Communications.