The way promotions were being given in the AFM amounted to a Labour takeover of the army, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said this afternoon.

He was speaking at a press conference in Valletta with Jason Azzopardi, the party's spokesman on home affairs. 

Dr Fenech Adami said developments in the AFM were worrying and constituted yet another wrong decision which eroded the people's confidence in the police and army.

The mistaken decisions had also included the removal of police commissioner, the appointment of a Labour-leaning commissioner, vindictive transfers and the use of policemen as waiters, among other matters, Dr Fenech Adami said. 

He said the Home Affairs Ministry had changed the criteria of how promotions were made, so as to accommodate those close to Labour.

Dr Azzopardi noted ow four majors were last week promoted to lieutenant colonel, the third highest rank in army. It was shameful, he said, that members of the minister's secretariat sat on the selection board, something which never happened under the previous government. He asked what qualifications the ministry's deputy chief of staff and a customer care official had with regard to the army.  

This, he insisted, amounted to political interference. 

Dr Azzopardi said Major (now Lt Col) Pierre Vassallo did not have security clearance in 2006 because of a disciplinary case in 1986 when he was a member of the police force. There must have been political pressure on the Security Service to issue clearance this time. Was Labour in cahoots with Security Service? 

Major (now Lt Col) Mark Mallia was only a major for one year. Before May, one needed to have served in his rank for two years before promotion.  Mr Mallia is expected to become AFM deputy commander.

Major Jeffrey Curmi's promotion to Lt Colonel meant he had passed over 12 majors, Dr Azzopardi said. He described him as 'close' to the prime minister's family.  

Major Mark Said had also passed 12 other majors. 

The Nationalist MP asked what had happened to the meritocracy promised by Labour before the general election.    

Government says Opposition's attack aimed at damaging the country

In a statement, the Government said the Opposition's attack was aimed at damaging the country.

It said that the selection process was held according to law.

Dr Azzopardi, the Government said, should know that the army was not regulated by the Public Service Commission and in the same way that the previous administration had appointed Paul Miruzzi as the Prime Minister's consultant on the board, this administration also appointed its own consultant.

The four new colonels had all advanced to majors during the years and following the Opposition's attack one should ask whether these people had not progressed further in the past because of prejudices against them by the previous administration.

The selection, the Government said, was made according to merit and criteria established on the recommendation of the Defence Board and including the experiences the majors had in Malta and abroad.

Under the previous administration, senior officers were appointed in the army in spite of the fact that they lacked the experience of military operations abroad.

The Government said that contrary to the Opposition's allegations, all the people who applied for promotion had security clearance.

It condemned what it described as the character assassination of the four colonels by the Opposition and appealed for more respect towards the country's institutions.