The Nationalist Party has heavily criticised Angelo Gafà and said it was “scandalous” for the government to reappoint him as police commissioner for a further four years.

In a statement signed by PN MPs Darren Carabott and Karol Aquilina, the Opposition Party warned that Gafà failed to take action on alleged crimes involving major politicians and that his “serious shortcomings” have demotivated and frustrated several police officers to the point that they have quit the force.

“The PN insists that Angelo Gafà shouldn’t continue serving as police commissioner. It is scandalous that, after four years in charge, the government has renewed his term despite his clear and continuous failures to fight crime, particularly in cases involving major politicians,” they said.

They also announced that they will present a bill in Parliament to change the way future police commissioners are appointed. The PN’s bill will stress that the police commissioner must be approved by two-thirds of MPs and appointed by the President, a similar system that is in place for the appointment of the Chief Justice, the Ombudsman, the Auditor General, the deputy Auditor General, and the President of the Republic.

They also believe that a two-third majority vote should also be required to remove the police commissioner from their job in cases of incapacity to perform their duty or bad behaviour.

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