The war of words between foreign affairs minister Carmelo Abela and former police inspector Jonathan Ferris over an email the minister’s secretary had sent Ferris last year continued yesterday. 

Ferris has told Lovin Malta he left the police force in June 2016 after Abela, who was home affairs minister at the the time, sent him an email requesting a progress update on a fraud case he was investigating. Ferris said the email amounted to political interference, but Abela insisted he was within his rights to request a progress update on behalf of an aggrieved citizen. 

After meeting with a delegation of MEPs yesterday, Ferris told the press the nation will question Abela’s integrity as soon as he publishes the emails Abela’s secretary had sent him. 

Abela responded by questioning Ferris’ decision to speak about the emails over a year after they were sent, suggesting his move was calculated to inflict maximum political damage. 

“This is all just an excuse for the Nationalist Party and its friends to make some noise,” Abela said on One TV’s Pjazza. “Ferris could have come up with these allegations and invented the story during the election campaign if he wanted but he waited over a year. I am now questioning whether Ferris’ motivations were just or not and I will leave justice in the hands of the people.”

Foreign affairs minister Carmelo Abela on Pjazza last night

“Ferris’s threats don’t scare me,” he said. “He said he will publish the email soon…well, I tell him that he should have already published it. I have never shied away from public judgement. Ferris has never faced public judgement, although I don’t know if he intends to do so in the future.”

Abela also questioned Ferris’ links with his lawyer, Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, who is said to be an old friend of Ferris.

“Why is Ferris allowing people such as his friend Jason Azzopardi to use him?” Abela asked. “I am really serene with myself…I have always carried out my job as minister in full respect of my oath of office and I will allow the people to judge my performance.” 

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Tim Diacono

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]