Carmelo Abela

Carmelo Abela (born 10 February 1972) is a Maltese politician and is serving as an incumbent Labour MP and was the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security. He also served as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, On 8 June 2017 he was elected Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion.

Criminal allegations In January 2024, brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio who are currently serving a 40-year jail term each for their role in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia released a sworn declaration where they stated that Carmelo Abela had helped the mastermind of a botched 2010 HSBC bank robbery. Back in 2010, Carmelo Abela was an employee of the bank. Furthermore, lawyer Jason Azzopardi claimed that Abela had received a €300,000 payment for his role in the plot.

Abela categorically denied the allegations and sued Azzopardi for libel. Interestingly, Abela did not take any legal action against the Degiorgio brothers stating that they are criminals who have nothing to lose.

In March 2024, blogger and journalist Mark Camilleri further alleged that the Malta Police already have evidence against Carmelo Abela. This being a security card and a video of the bank insides, which Abela had given to the Degiorgio brothers in order to access the bank’s safe room where the money was located. Camilleri also stated that the Degiorgio brothers would not have accused Abela without the existence of the incriminating evidence in hand, since Abela would have easily belied them.

Defamation case victory On 30 September 2024, three and a half years after the allegations were made, the Court found Jason Azzopardi guilty of libel over the allegations and fined him €7,000. It was the view of the Court that the defendant failed to satisfy the requirement indicated in the Media and Defamation Act by failing to indicate, even in general, the basis of his statement that the plaintiff was the accomplice who helped the thieves in the commission of the crime by providing means, including fake keys, and was going to be compensated for this complicity.

Azzopardi appealed the sentence, however the Court of Appeal on June 25, 2025 confirmed the first sentence and rejected the appeal.

Personal life He and his wife Melanie have two children.