Edward Scicluna may have stepped aside, temporarily, from his role as Central Bank Governor but he did not go quietly, according to media reports.
Along with a number of others, he has been charged in connection with the Vitals hospital deal. Scicluna maintains his innocence but in view of the ongoing court case, Prime Minister Robert Abela wanted him to resign as Governor. Failing to do that, the Prime Minister was prepared to remove him from the Central Bank. Such a move is fraught with legal difficulties and Edward Scicluna said he was prepared to go to the European Court of Justice to contest a move to remove him.
A head to head with the ECJ was averted when, following a meeting with the cabinet and the Prime Minister, Edward Scicluna decided to step aside as Governor of the Central Bank. Until his name is cleared in court he said.
