Aaron Farrugia axed in surprise cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Robert Abela announced some personnel changes in his executive team on Saturday evening.

Aaron Farrugia surprisingly lost the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure, and has not been given any new cabinet position.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Bonett has been promoted to become the new transport minister.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne will no longer serve as health minister, but take over the EU funds, social dialogue and consumer protection portfolios.

However, the race for a new deputy prime minister will start soon, as Fearne is set to be Malta’s nominee as EU commissioner.

Jo Etienne Abela, who has been Minister for Active Aging, replaces Chris Fearne as health minister.

A comprehensive list of all ministers, parliamentary secretaries and their responsibilities can be found below.

PN: ‘Cosmetic changes’

The Nationalist Party said in a hurriedly issued statement that Robert Abela “failed to carry out a reshuffle of his cabinet”.

It said Abela had to give in to pressure from ministers who resisted the reshuffle, and that “all he managed to do was minimal cosmetic changes”.

Mark Camilleri: ‘It’s a purge’

Author and journalist Mark Camilleri said this was not a reshuffle but a purge, pointing out that Robert Abela had tried to replace Chris Fearne twice.

Camilleri said the sacking of Aaron Farrugia had to do with his internal opposition to Robert Abela over “matters such as Labour’s position on the public inquiry into Jean Paul Sofia’s death”.

Volt: ‘No difference’

“Aside from the change in the health ministry, we don’t really see a meaningful difference from this reshuffle”, Volt Malta commented.

The Malta branch of the pan-European party told NEWZ it has “low expectations that there will be an improvement in governance”.

ADPD, Repubblika: ‘Why was Farrugia fired?’

On Sunday, both ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci and Repubblika president Robert Aquilina called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to explain as to why Aaron Farrugia was removed from cabinet.

Abela had only said that he felt there was “need for change”, and that he felt he needed to take this decision “in the name of national interest”.

Sandra Gauci called on Abela to list in point form why Farrugia was no longer entrusted with a ministry.

Robert Aquilina said that the prime minister had a moral duty to tell the nation on why he fired Farrugia, and asked “Which scandal is Farrugia implicated in?”.

Farrugia: ‘Work continues in parliament’

Aaron Farrugia broke his silence on Sunday evening, saying he humbly accepted the prime minister’s decision.

He thanked his family and his team, and said “the work continues in parliament”. Media circles are informed that Farrugia will not seek re-election.

The Ministers

Chris Fearne
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EU funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection 

Owen Bonnici
Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government 

Ian Borg
Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade 

Michael Falzon
Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights 

Anton Refalo
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights 

Roderick Galdes
Minister for Social and Affordable Accommodation 

Silvio Schembri
Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects   

Julia Farrugia Portelli
Minister for Inclusion and the Voluntary

Clint Camilleri
Minister for Gozo and Planning 

Byron Camilleri
Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality 

Clayton Bartolo
Minister for Tourism and Public Cleanliness

Miriam Dalli
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour 

Clyde Caruana
Minister for Finance and Employment 

Clifton Grima
Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation 

Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi
Minister for Lands and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme 

Jonathan Attard
Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector 

Jo Etienne Abela
Minister for Health and Active Ageing

Chris Bonett
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works

The Parliamentary Secretaries

Andy Ellul
Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Alison Zerafa Civelli
Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government within the Ministry for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government

Keith Azzopardi Tanti
Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation within the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation

Rebecca Buttigieg
Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality in the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality

Alicia Bugeja Said
Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights within the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights

Malcolm Paul Agius Galea
Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works 

Glenn Bedingfield
Parliamentary Secretary for Public Cleanliness

This article was updated on Sunday evening with reactions from ADPD, Repubblika and Aaron Farrugia.