European Affairs and Equality Minister Helena Dalli said she was not aware a commission falling under her political remit had given a service contract to a law firm founded by Cabinet colleague Chris Cardona.

Dr Cardona, the Economy Minister and the Labour Party’s deputy leader for party affairs, said he had severed all ties with Cardona & Vassallo Advocates and was no longer involved in running it.

According to The Malta Government Gazette, Mark Vassallo, on behalf of Cardona & Vassallo Advocates, was awarded a contract to provide legal services to the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality last March after a call for an expression of interest.

The firm will be paid €34 an hour and is estimated to receive about €8,000 in the first year.

Not involved in any part of the selection process

Asked whether it was ethical for the Equality Ministry to award a contract to a firm that had close connections with a Cabinet minister, a spokeswoman insisted Dr Dalli was not involved in the selection process and the commission was run independently of the ministry.

She said the commission, headed by Renee Laiviera, selected the law firm following an expression of interest process and a proper evaluation by a selection board.

“The chosen firm, Cardona & Vassallo Advocates, were represented by Mark Vassallo, who attended an interview and confirmed he would be the lawyer dealing with the commission on legal matters”, the spokeswoman said.

“Minister Dalli was not involved in any part of the selection process,” she noted, adding that no ethical issues therefore existed.

“Minister Cardona relinquished his position as lawyer in the said firm and, as a consequence, stopped receiving any remuneration, profit or retainer from the firm,” his spokeswoman said.

She confirmed that, as owner of one of the firm’s offices in Bir-kirkara, Dr Cardona received a monthly rent, as declared in his ministerial declaration of assets.

Asked whether Dr Dalli’s son was still engaged on a position of trust basis in Dr Cardona’s private secretariat, her spokeswoman said the minister’s son had only been engaged for the period of Malta’s presidency of the European Council, between January and June this year.

His job was to coordinate logistics at the Economy Ministry.