PN wants Central Bank governor nominee scrutinized by MPs

The Opposition has called for the new nominee governor of the Central Bank to be subjected to scrutiny by a select parliamentary committee.

Presenting a motion to Speaker Anglu Farrugia, PN deputy leader Mario de Marco noted that both the PN and the PL had pledged parliamentary scrutiny of nominees to high positions in their respective electoral manifestos.

“We expect the government to agree with this motion as quickly as possible, which is after all intended to boost transparency and accountability.”

Alfred Mifsud, the original nominee for the post, was set to assume the role of governorship on 1 July, but withdrew his nomination on Monday in light of corruption allegations.

The PN proposed that the select committee be modelled on the public accounts committee – with four government MPs and three Opposition MPs, one of the latter three of whom will be appointed chairperson.

It added that it should be granted all the powers available to the PAC, including the power to summon witnesses to testify.

It was presented by De Marco and fellow PN MPs Kristy Debono and Francis Zammit Dimech. “After the damage caused to the financial services industry by the Panama Papers, this is a golden opportunity for an ideal person to represent Malta at the helm of the Central Bank and at the European Central Bank.”