No connection to Dalli allegations in Vatican ambassadorship – Minister Vella

Now that he has turned down former European Commissioner John Dalli's former aide for the role of ambassador to the Holy See, Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella denies having discussed the allegations concerning Dalli.

Vella said he would not go into "speculation" over Frank Zammit's being overlooked for the post of ambassador to the Vatican, which decision was raised by this newspaper. Zammit served as an aide to Dalli until his resignation from the European Commission in 2012.

Vella denied having "ever discussed with the prime minister the John Dalli case or the allegations concerning Mr Dalli's Bahamas trips" when considering Zammit for the post of ambassador.

Zammit was originally earmarked to be Malta's next ambassador to the Vatican by Joseph Muscat's administration but appears to have been overlooked for the post.

MaltaToday is informed that Zammit was told that it was Minister George Vella who objected to his appointment, ostensibly over the questions this appointment would raise in the aftermath of revelations regarding John Dalli's 2012 trips to the Bahamas.

Dalli is currently an advisor to the government on health policy and is posted in an office at Mater Dei Hospital.

Zammit, who worked closely with John Dalli for years, resigned from his post after the former commissioner was forced to resign by EC President José Manuel Barroso. This followed an OLAF investigation alleging Dalli was aware of an attempt to trade in influence. Zammit's involvement with Dalli in 2004, at the time of the latter's party leadership bid, led him to be ostracised by the Gonzi administration and the Labour opposition.

Zammit is a former Nationalist mayor in the Labour stronghold of Marsa and a former candidate and activist for the Nationalist Party. His presence was once synonymous with John Dalli's, given that he accompanied Dalli everywhere; and in recent years, he earned a reputation for his extensive knowledge of the Vatican and his rapport with various figures in the Vatican administration.

MaltaToday can confirm that in March of this year, Zammit was given the impression that he was being considered seriously for the role of Malta's next ambassador to the Vatican.

This interest appears to have been revoked after the revelation that the former EU commissioner had visited the Bahamas in the summer of 2013 under suspicious circumstances.