Malta's prime minister Robert Abela speaks during a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart following their meeting on June 15, 2023 at palazzo Chigi in Rome. (PHOTO / AFP)

VALLETTA - Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela on Saturday announced changes to his cabinet, axing one minister and promoting new blood from his parliamentary group.

The cabinet reshuffle began early on Saturday when Labour members of parliament (MPs) were summoned to the Prime Minister's office in Valletta.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne will be nominated as Malta's next European Commissioner. He relinquished his post as health minister

The move caught many by surprise as Abela spent a full day meeting his ministers and backbench MPs.

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Transport and Infrastructure Minister Aaron Farrugia lost his cabinet position and was relegated to the backbench.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne will be nominated as Malta's next European Commissioner. He relinquished his post as health minister which will be taken by surgeon Jo Etienne Abela, who was previously minister for active ageing.

Fearne will remain in government until he formally takes up the Brussels job.

The former junior minister for EU funds, Chris Bonett, became the new transport minister.

Many ministers and junior ministers, also referred to as parliamentary secretaries, retained their portfolios that they have had since the 2022 general election.

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The reshuffle saw three Labour MPs being promoted to parliamentary secretaries -- Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, who will be responsible for the elderly, Omar Farrugia, who will be responsible for public works and Glenn Bedingfield, who will be responsible for public cleansing.