Updated at 3.15pm with Alfred Sant intervention

Updated at 5.22om with David Casa reaction

MEP Miriam Dalli has written to European Parliament president Antonio Tajani and urged him to reconsider Simon Busuttil’s role scrutinising judges nominated to the European Court of Justice.

Dr Busuttil was nominated to the panel 11 months ago, after he stepped down as PN leader. His nomination was formally approved by MEPs in the European Parliament's plenary. 

In a letter sent to Mr Tajani on Monday, Dr Dalli said Dr Busuttil had “blindly believed” Egrant allegations about Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s wife Michelle, saying that “there existed no doubt that Egrant belonged to the Prime Minister” while calling Dr Muscat a liar.

She noted that Dr Busuttil served as the European Parliament’s representative on a panel responsible for scrutinising judges and advocates-general nominated to the ECJ, with the EP nominee expected to be of “recognised competence.”

“In view of the above and the gravity of the conclusions of the Egrant inquiry, which among others unearthed forged documentation,” Dr Dalli wrote, “I ask you to seriously consider whether the position of Dr Busuttil, as the only EP representative on the panel set up under Article 255 of the TFEU, remains tenable or not.”

The Labour MEP also penned a separate letter to fellow MEPs who sit on the European Parliament’s LIBE Committee, in which she summarised some of the Egrant inquiry conclusions for MEPs.

Noting that MEPs had sent missions to Malta and taken votes in plenary about the country, Dr Dalli urged LIBE committee members to “distinguish between allegations and facts.”

“As politicians, we must support analysis based on facts through independent inquiries in full respect of the rule of law and to be wary of arguments brought forward for political partisan reasons.”

Allegations were repeated by MEPs as if they were the 'gospel truth'

Alfred Sant, the head of the Maltese S&D Delegation, lamented that the allegations had been consistently repeated in the EU Parliament by ome MEPs "as if they were the gospel truth", despite the fact that the Maltese Prime Minister and his wife had steadfastly denied the allegations.

There now remains no doubt whatsoever, Dr Sant said, that the wife of Malta’s Prime Minister ever owned some secret Panama based company, Egrant or any other.

However, Dr Casa said he disappointed by Dr Sant's stand: "I have always admired your integrity - but your continued backing of this filth that has hijacked your party has left me disappointed. Perhaps you were, and maybe still are, not aware of all the facts. Read this and and then tell me who should be resigning and brought to justice: http://www.eppgroup.eu/press-release/PUBLISHED%3A-FIAU-report-on-Konrad-Mizzi," he said in a letter to Dr Sant, copied to the media.

PL pushes for Busuttil to quit parliament

The Labour Party also reiterated its calls for Dr Busuttil to give up his seat in parliament following publication of Egrant inquiry conclusions in a press conference held on Monday.

In that press conference, justice minister Owen Bonnici and PL MP Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi both insisting the former PN leader should be shown the door.

“If Simon Busuttil has a shred of political dignity he only has one choice,” Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi said. “He must quit every post he holds. Not suspend himself, but resign.”