Konrad Mizzi is either blackmailing the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister knows he can

The Times of Malta reported this evening that the Prime Minister has chosen Konrad Mizzi to chair the EU Energy Council.

This is beyond disgraceful. Mizzi is the main reason Malta’s six-month stint at the presidency is soaked in sulphurous poison. Yet instead of keeping him at arm’s length for the duration, at least for the sake of his public image, Muscat is shoving him forward.

Today, the first day of Malta’s presidency, was turned into Konrad Mizzi’s big day, with the whole of the morning devoted to a press call at Delimara where he starred and spoke about gas tankers, power station and “big celebrations”, accompanied (shamefully) by the European Commissioner for Energy. The result? All the press stories were about Mizzi running away from questions about his dealings in Panama, with accompanying video footage of him scurrying off and diving into his car.

Muscat is not mad or stupid, and he is hyper-conscious about his public image, public relations and how things play out in the public mind and the press. So there can be only one reason why Konrad Mizzi was everywhere today and why Muscat has chosen him to chair the EU Energy Council. It’s the very same reason why Muscat couldn’t and wouldn’t sack him: Konrad Mizzi has what he needs to blackmail Muscat, and he is either doing so already or Muscat fears he will if thwarted.

Mizzi and Keith Schembri are not in it alone. They were not operating behind their boss’s back. Schembri’s primary relationship is with Muscat and not with Mizzi. But only the two of them have been caught out. Muscat fears he will be caught out. He has to protect Mizzi and Schembri, and give them whatever they ask for, because if he doesn’t they will do a Deep Throat with a newspaper or blow the whistle on him directly. Quite frankly, I think they’re blackmailing him already.

Meanwhile, read this.