Minister ‘promotes’ Cyrus Engerer to ambassador

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna mistakenly ‘promoted’ Cyrus Engerer to ambassador in official correspondence with the European Parliament’s Panama Papers (PANA) committee. Mr Engerer, anointed a “soldier of steel” by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, was given the specially created role of Special Envoy to the EU shortly after pulling out of the 2014 MEP elections. His withdrawal came after he was handed a two-year suspended jail sentence in connection with the distribution of pornography. Prof. Scicluna informed the PANA committee in writing last week that, despite turning down a committee invitation to testify on January 26, he would be cooperating fully with the committee during its visit to Malta later this month. “This information was also transmitted to you yesterday in separate e-mails sent to you by Ambassador Cyrus Engerer,” Prof. Scicluna said in his letter to PANA chairman Werner Langen. Asked whether Mr Engerer had been given a new role, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said his designation was still Special Envoy to the EU. Although he missed out on an ambassadorship, Mr Engerer still enjoys an ambassadorial salary grade, which entitles him to a package of about...