The Prime Minister’s special envoy in Brussels, Cyrus Engerer, was banned from accompanying Malta’s nominee to the European Court of Auditors, Leo Brincat, while lobbying, this newspaper has learnt.

Sources said Mr Engerer was informed by Mr Brincat’s close collaborators he did not need to participate in the lobbying campaign among MEPs or accompany the former Labour environment minister.

“Mr Brincat was adamant that Mr Engerer would not be anywhere near him in any of the meetings he held with the various MEPs, including Socialists,” the sources said.

“A seasoned politician, Mr Brincat was not going to repeat the mistakes made by his predecessor, Toni Abela, who had meetings at the European Parliament accompanied by Mr Engerer,” the sources said.

Dr Abela’s candidacy for the European Court of Auditors’ job was turned down by the majority of MEPs on the Committee for Budgetary Control.

Like Mr Brincat, weeks before his grilling, Dr Abela had held individual meetings with almost all the MEPs sitting on the European Parliament Committee.

Mr Brincat was not going to repeat the mistakes made by his predecessor, Toni Abela

Apart from introducing Dr Abela, something that is usually done by the Maltese MEPs, Mr Engerer was present for Dr Abela’s individual meetings with the Euro parliamentarians and even intervened during the encounters.

There was one instance during a meeting held between Dr Abela and a group of MEPs, the sources noted, when Mr Engerer was asked to leave the room in view of the private discussions being held.

“This whole business of Mr Engerer’s presence did not help Dr Abela at all. Mr Brincat was wise enough to ensure he would not make the same mistakes,” the sources said.

A Labour candidate during the last MEP elections, Mr Engerer had to withdraw after he was given a two-year suspended sentence in connection with the distribution of pornography. Yet, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat still described Mr Engerer as “a soldier of steel” and appointed him as his personal representative to Brussels.

Unlike other personnel at Dar Malta, Mr Engerer received a scale three salary – usually reserved for ambassadors – entitling him to an annual financial package exceeding €85,000.

Mr Engerer’s boyfriend, Randolph Debattista, was also given a position of trust at Malta’s Permanent Representation. He was appointed chief of staff to Ambassador Marlene Bonnici.

Lately, Mr Engerer was given new duties and made responsible for relations with the European Parliament.

Relations with the other member states are now handled by Ms Bonnici and her deputy, Neil Kerr.

ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com