Annual salary of former MCA chairman Philip Micallef amounted to €94,000

Clarified on 5 June with reference to Philip Micallef's post having been a full-time, not a part-time position.

Philip Micallef, the former executive chairman of the Malta Communications Authority, enjoyed an annual salary of €94,000 for the role he served on a full-time basis, minister for the economy Chris Cardona said in parliament this evening.

Cardona also clarified that Antonio Ghio, who served as chairman of the communications authority between November 2012 and April 2013, received €3,494 annually. This emolument included work carried out by Ghio when he was still a member of the authority's board before his appointment as chairman.

The difference in salary, Cardona explained, was that Micallef served as executive chairman on a full-time basis whereas Ghio was a chairman on a part-time basis.

Replying to a parliamentary question raised by government MP Carmelo Abela, Cardona also said that Ghio "never declared any conflict of interest" he might have had.

Last week, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat dispelled statements of Ghio's "forced resignation", saying that "one had to question the validity" of his original appointment.

"I won't even go into the issue whether his position was a conflict of interest due to his private practice," Muscat said, leaving the matter open to speculation.

Whilst serving as the head of the Communications authority, Ghio was also the head of the ICT department at Fenech & Fenech Advocates, where he is a partner.

Antonio Ghio has insisted that his removal from the communications regulatory was against national and EU laws, and refuted suggestions by Joseph Muscat which he said have put his integrity into question.

While replying to questions on Ghio's resignation, Muscat also said that the salary of the new MCA chairman "was nowhere near the €100,000 which his predecessor enjoyed".