Denying MPs the right to debate a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister's chief of staff was an act of "legal acrobatics", Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil charged this evening. 

Dr Busuttil was speaking in parliament after Times of Malta had reported that a motion of no confidence against Keith Schembri was deemed inadmissible by Speaker Anglu Farrugia.

The motion presented by Independent MP Marlene Farrugia was amended, shifting the focus to the Prime Minister, after the Speaker had found that Mr Schembri was not an MP and therefore could not be subject to a no confidence motion. 

But Dr Busuttil insisted that the ruling was diametrically opposed to parliament's position in 2012, when MPs voted to remove Malta's then-envoy to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana. 

"On what basis, as House President, did you ask an MP to change a motion when you yourself moved a similar motion against Richard Cachia Caruana in the past?" Dr Busuttil asked the Speaker.

Speaker Anglu Farrugia.

Dr Farrugia clarified that he had not tabled the motion against Mr Cachia Caruana, and insisted that he had taken "very measured" advice on the issue before making yesterday's ruling. He said he could not answer for previous legislatures' rulings as he was not House Speaker at the time. 

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, intervening, said that the two cases were "completely different", as Mr Cachia Caruana's role had been a Constitutionally-appointed one, whereas Mr Schembri was employed as a person of trust. 

But the Opposition Leader was not having it. 

"This is the country's highest institution. God forbid it doesn't have the power to debate a position of trust. This is legal acrobatics," he charged. 

The Speaker is expected to issue a ruling on the matter tomorrow.