Malta’s delays in finding an adequate candidate for the EU Public Prosecutor is forcing the European Commission to lower recruitment standards for the crucial role.

“We do not yet have the 27 European prosecutors in place. This is due to difficulties in finalising the Maltese list of candidates.”

“As a result, we are now considering an amendment to the operating rules to the selection panel to lower the requirement to recruit from two eligible candidates,” Didier Reynders, the European Commissioner for Justice said.

Malta has received strong criticism for delaying the process to introduce the European Public Prosecutor Office, which would be able to prosecute and investigate cross border financial issues, such a fraud, corruption or VAT fraud.

Malta was initially not part of the program but joined following pressure over corruption allegations.

Each of the 22 member states that join the EPPO must nominate three candidates, one of whom will be appointed after a rigorous interview.

There have been public calls in Malta for the position, but no final candidate has been selected.

Former State prosecutor turned criminal lawyer for Daphne Caruana Galizia suspect Yorgen Fenech, Charles Mercieca, was nominated to the role in December 2019. His application was immediately dismissed.

Sources have suggested that the EPPO is furious with the decision to present Mercieca as a candidate, especially following the news of his move to Fenech’s legal team.

In May, the EPPO told Lovin Malta:

“The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is indeed concerned by the delay in appointing the College of European Prosecutors which is caused by Malta’s failure to propose three eligible candidates for the position of European Prosecutor so far.”

“Our initial timeline counted with the EPPO College to be in place last summer and in any case at the end of 2019, for the EPPO to be able to start operations at the end of this year.”

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