Rosianne Cutajar brands Cyrus Engerer ‘an opportunist’ over Fearne criticism
Independent MP Rosianne Cutajar has branded PL MEP Cyrus Engerer as an opportunist, after he expressed concerns over current Health Minister Chris Fearne’s bid for the European Commission.
On Thursday, Politico reported that members of the European Parliament’s Health Committee had questioned the nomination of Maltese Deputy Prime Minister, Chris Fearne, for the post of European Commissioner, after it emerged that he would face criminal charges in connection with a deal for three hospitals.
"The European Parliament holds high standards when it comes to Commissioner-designates’ approval", Engerer told POLITICO. "Past decisions prove this."
Cutajar reacted by saying that now is the time to “identify the men from the children, to identify those who are loyal from those who are opportunists”.
“We are behind you, Chris Fearne”, she said.
Engerer was elected as a Labour MEP via a casual election, replacing Miriam Dalli. He will not be recontesting for his seat come June.
Fearne, who is one of a myriad to be charged in connection with the hospitals deal and has denied wrongdoing, was considered a frontrunner to replace Stella Kyriakides as Health Commissioner after the EU election. He was Europe's longest-serving Health Minister until he was moved into a different position in January, and continues to lead in global health discussions.
He resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and asked for his name to be withdrawn from being considered for the post of European Commissioner on Friday afternoon - after Cutajar made her statement in his support.
Cutajar meanwhile resigned from the Labour Party as an MP just hours before she was set to be sacked from her position, stating that “in difficult and challenging moments, I choose to remain loyal to the Labour Party and to my colleagues. That is what I was taught”.
Cutajar was axed after leaked WhatsApp chats revealed her close relationship with Yorgen Fenech, the man alleged to have masterminded the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder.
In an investigation into a job she was given by ITS, the National Audit Office also declared the contract given to the MP as ‘fraudulent’ and ‘irregular’.
Prime Minister, Robert Abela, initially said that she should return to the Labour Party, but later changed tack and said that he would not approve her request to be let back into the party unless she issues an apology for her wrongdoings – a stance which is reported to have angered Cutajar.