The Head of Malta’s Civil Service has had a seat on the country’s security committee since 2001, Mario Cutajar has clarified following claims emerged that he may have been given unlawful access during court.

During the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Lawyer Jason Azzopardi warned that Cutajar should not have a seat on Malta’s Security Committee after the Secret Service Chief said he would sit on meetings.

Azzopardi quoted legislation which said that:

“The Security Committee shall consist of the Prime Minister, the Minister, the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs and the Leader of the Opposition.”

However, Cutajar’s office has clarified that the former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech first nominated that Head of the Civil Service to sit on the Security Committee in 2001.

“Between 2001 and 2004, the then head of the Civil Service Mr JR Grima was the Security Committee’s secretary. His successor Dr Godwin Grima took up this role between 2004 and 2013.”

“Mr Mario Cutajar took up the role of Secretary to the Security Committee in 2013. In each and every Security Committee meeting attended by Mr Cutajar, the Leader of the Opposition was always present,” they said.