The Government intends filing a counter-protest to a protest that had been filed in court by the Nationalist Party accusing Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of breaching the law when they gave four AFM officers two promotions in 15 days.

Dr Mallia told Nationalist spokesman Jason Azzopardi in reply to a Parliamentary question that both he and the Attorney General did not agree with his interpretation of the law and their counter-protest would reflect that.

Asked by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to clarify whether there was a recommendation from the Brigadier in writing according to law for the accelerated promotions given to the four officers, Dr Mallia said that no law required a written opinion and the acceleration the law referred to was the skipping of ranks, which was not the case..

What was done, Dr Mallia insisted, was according to law and practice and the promotions were not accelerated in terms of the laws.

Dr Busuttil said the minister had now confirmed that he had promoted officers without the Brigadier's recommendation. The minister insisted that the Opposition leader was badly interpreting the law which he insisted he did not breach.

The minister also said that the decision on the appointment of the new brigadier would be announced once it was taken.