An Education Ministry employee was verbally cautioned for circulating what a spokeswoman said was an “unauthorised” call for applications at Malta House in Brussels.
The Institute for European Studies on Monday circulated an e-mail about promoting the vacancies.
The e-mail said the institute had been notified that Malta’s Permanent Representation to the EU was looking for graduates to work at Malta House during Malta’s stint as president of the European Council in the areas of employment and social affairs.
The e-mail said that successful applicants would be engaged on a temporary basis and that the remuneration package included diplomatic allowances “and the like”. Those interested were asked to send their CVs to a ministerial employee, Aaron Abdilla.
The call for applications was an unauthorised personal initiative and the notification had been withdrawn since no such vacancies existed
The Times of Malta sent an e-mail to Mr Abdilla asking how many vacancies would be filled and why no public call for applications had been issued, but a spokeswoman for the Education Ministry replied instead. She said the call for applications was an “unauthorised personal initiative” and that the notification had been withdrawn since no such vacancies existed.
Asked to elaborate and to say on whose initiative the call for applications had been made, the spokeswoman would only say it was a ministry employee. When pressed for details, she said it was an Education Ministry employee and that “action was taken”, which consisted of a verbal warning. Sources close to Malta House told this paper a certain element of “panic” had crept in, as staffing levels were still not considered adequate to keep up will all the different tasks involved. They said the number of political employees at Malta House had increased notably of late.
Malta will take over the EU’s rotating presidency from Slovakia on January 1.
Earlier this month, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker hailed Malta’s preparedness for the presidency. He said Malta was prepared in the best possible way to take on the role.
During the presidency, Malta will chair all ministerial meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg with the exception of foreign affairs council meetings, which are chaired by the EU’s high representative.
Besides the formal encounters in Brussels, numerous informal events, conferences and technical meetings will be held in Malta.
jacob.borg@timesofmalta.com