Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said he could not answer as to whether yesterday’s Budget speech, the eighth since he was made Finance Minister, would be his last.

Prof Scicluna, who turned 74 last week, said that such questions are normally asked to the Prime Minister, whose prerogative it is to decide on his Cabinet members.

He was responding to questions by Times of Malta following a press conference, addressed by himself and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne which followed up on Monday night’s Budget announcement and the ensuing reactions by the constituted bodies.

On Monday night, during Prime Minister Robert Abela’s press conference following the Budget speech, when questioned by the press, he refused to comment on a possible departure of Prof Scicluna.

When asked, he appeared annoyed and called for respect to be shown in the way certain questions are asked.

“I have enormous respect for Minister Scicluna. I thank him for seven years of hard work…This country should show ample gratitude towards him, as he completely turned around Malta’s finances.”

(Left) Miriam Dalli and Clyde Caruana were officially sworn into Parliament on Monday evening

The rumour-mil about a Cabinet reshuffle went into overdrive following the news that the Prime Minister’s former head of secretariat, Clyde Caruana, and PL MEP, Miriam Dalli, would be co-opted to Parliament.

Prior to Monday’s Budget speech, the pair were officially sworn in as MPs, with Mr Caruana being touted as a strong contender for the next Finance Minister.

Mr Caruana headed JobsPlus during Joseph Muscat’s administration, and previously held the position of Labour Party Mayor of Zabbar. He is known for having masterminded the youth guarantee drawn up by the UHM before the 2013 election which was taken up by the incoming Labour Government, and was also the architect of the free childcare system introduced by Government in 2014.