It’s not a resignation. Ambassador Micallef has been fired.

Fired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – to be given alternative appointment by “Joseph”

Malta’s ambassador to Washington, Marisa Micallef, has not resigned but has been fired after a terrible row with senior Foreign Ministry officials in which she insulted those officials and told them that they couldn’t touch her or remove her because she “was appointed by Joseph”.

Micallef, who was not the choice of the Foreign Ministry but of the Office of the Prime Minister, has been at odds with the Ministry to which she reports over her failure to deliver or to do anything much at all to justify her presence in Washington.

Matters finally came to a head over suspicions that she had been writing ‘fictitious’ press releases for upload to the embassy website, including reports of her presence at events to which she had not gone.

The escalating tension led to her being asked to go out on ‘gardening leave’ and stay away from the embassy for the past two months, while decisions were taken on how to handle the situation.

Her departure is due to be announced in the next few days.

Ms Micallef refused to accept the decision to terminate her appointment, and fear that she will seek vengeance by turning into a public relations liability for the government – immediately prior to her appointment as ambassador, she was a Labour Party employee – has led to her being offered an alternative position as chairman of a state authority or similar.