Nationalist Party defector Marisa Micallef is a "victim of the financial crisis", according to the Nationalist Party's general secretary, Paul Borg Olivier.
His comments spurred a war of words between the parties about the former Housing Authority chairman and former anti-Labour columnist who has just become one of Labour leader Joseph Muscat's main advisors.
"I understand she was unhappy the government was not able to provide her with a job but the government is not an a la carte restaurant or simply contributing to 'pocket money'," Dr Borg Olivier said when contacted.
He claimed that Ms Micallef returned to Malta after becoming a victim of the economic crisis in the UK last year, implying that she basically lost her job and needed another one.
"Ms Micallef's acceptance of a job with the Labour Party should not be taken out of its context," he added.
Ms Micallef has declined to comment on her appointment so far but she has consistently pointed out that she chose to step down as Housing Authority chairman midway through her four-year contract.
Dr Borg Olivier said that, although he believed she was a good Housing Authority chairman, she was heavily criticised in her role by both the PL and Dr Muscat himself.
"As a consultant to Dr Muscat I hope she gives him the advice to restore all the properties stolen by former Labour governments to do justice with their rightful owners," he said, referring to the properties that had been transformed into PL clubs in the past.
When asked to react to these comments, a Labour spokesman said: "Dr Borg Olivier's argument is a senseless attack which shows Lawrence Gonzi and the PN are in denial".
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who had given Ms Micallef chairmanship when he was Social Policy Minister, took a more cautious approach. He only denied that he appointed people to certain positions on grounds of political allegiance.
When asked whether the government should take a page out of the PL's book and make a reshuffle, Dr Gonzi replied that "employment decisions" by Dr Muscat had no bearing on what he does with the Cabinet.
cperegin@timesofmalta.com