The government is creating a new Maltese Consulate-General in Sicily and has chosen 70-year-old former Speaker of the House Anġlu Farrugia as its first Head, in what government sources described to The Shift as a move aimed at appeasing the veteran Labour politician after his removal from one of the country’s highest constitutional offices.
Foreign Office sources confirmed to The Shift that Farrugia will shortly be appointed Malta’s first Consul General in Catania, heading a newly established diplomatic mission that will replace the current honorary representation on the island.
The appointment is expected to be a full-time position carrying a diplomatic remuneration package. Minister Chris Fearne is expected to announce the development in the coming days.
The move comes only weeks after Prime Minister Robert Abela decided not to retain Farrugia as Speaker following the general elections, replacing him with former minister Carmelo Abela.
Farrugia, who served as Speaker for more than 13 years, made little effort to hide his disappointment at the decision, publicly admitting he was ‘shocked’ and ‘disappointed’ after learning that he would not continue in the role.
Foreign Office sources told The Shift that the creation of the new diplomatic post forms part of efforts to compensate Farrugia for his removal from the Speakership while ensuring he remains on the public payroll.
The appointment will add another publicly funded income to the former Speaker, who already receives two state pensions. Besides the ordinary retirement pension, Farrugia also receives the pension granted to former Speakers of the House, an uncapped benefit estimated at around €35,000 annually.
His new diplomatic salary and allowances, still unknown, are expected to come on top of those existing entitlements.
The appointment also means that Farrugia will be conveniently based in a country where he already has significant personal ties. He owns a holiday home in Sicily, allowing him to combine his official responsibilities with extended stays on the island.
Until now, Malta has not maintained a full-time Consulate-General in Sicily. Maltese diplomatic relations with Italy are handled through the embassy in Rome, while consular matters on the island have traditionally been dealt with by an honorary consul.
The decision to establish a fully-fledged Consulate-General represents a significant expansion of Malta’s diplomatic presence in Sicily and raises questions about why the new mission has become necessary at this particular moment.
Sicily has become an increasingly popular destination for Maltese citizens, with growing numbers purchasing holiday homes and investment properties on the island, particularly in the south-eastern provinces closest to Malta. However, successive governments have considered the existing arrangements sufficient.
Anglu Farrugia, a former police officer and Labour Deputy Leader, has no experience in diplomacy.
