Updated - MCA chief says his forced resignation went against EU directives

Updated -  The “forced resignation” of the chairman of the Malta Communications Authority, Antonio Ghio, has been accepted by the Government, which has replaced him with lawyer Edward Woods. Mr Ghio had submitted his resignation on March 14 in a letter where he argued that the request for him to do so did not fall within Maltese law and EU directives establishing the importance of “complete independence” of the MCA from the Government. He said these regulations stipulated the situations where the head of the national regulatory authority on communications networks can be removed. At Mr Ghio’s request, the letter was released tonight by the Government, which said the resignation was according to the law regulating the authority, in view of the change in government. The composition of the new MCA board was announced earlier today. Apart from Mr Woods, the other members are Godfrey Vella, Phelim Cavlan and Sarah Mifsud.