The Labour Party has called on Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando to explain comments he posted on timesofmalta.com earlier this week.

The comments were posted in reply to Fr Joe Borg’s blog called In praise of this beautiful but quaint Island.

Dr Pullicino Orlando had written: “I have not yet been given the opportunity to defend myself and to present the general public with the full facts of the case you are referring to. I will do so at the opportune moment once police investigations have been concluded. Rest assured that my position and the position of my party prior to the elections with regards to the Mistra so-called 'scandal' will be more than vindicated.”

The MLP said it was also calling on the prime minister and PN general secretary Joe Saliba to declare whether or not they agreed with Dr Pullicino Orlando’s post.

“The declaration made by Dr Pullicino Orlando is very serious and worrying. This is nothing more than unacceptable pressure by Dr Pullicino Orlando on the police investigation into the Mistra scandal. It is unacceptable that, when investigations have not been completed, the main protagonist comes out saying what is supposed to happen once the investigations end,” the MLP said.

The party said it was calling on Dr Pullicino Orlando to explain how he had concluded that when the investigations come to an end, they would confirm that he and the PN were right.

The party insisted that no one outside the police force should have access to the investigations, least of all Dr Pullicino Orlando.

Dr Gonzi and Mr Saliba were therefore being asked to declare whether they agreed with what Dr Pullicino Orlando had written on timesofmalta.com, more so as Dr Gonzi had declared that whoever comments on this case at this time is not serious, since investigations are ongoing.

The MLP also asked Dr Pullicino Orlando to explain his claim, made on Net TV on Tuesday, that the Mistra case was nothing other than mudslinging.