PN denies pressure on Franco Debono to resign

Updated: Adds Labour reaction

The Nationalist Party is not putting any pressure on its MP Franco Debono to resign, the whip of the parliamentary group, David Agius, said this evening.

He was speaking to the media after a meeting of the parliamentary group which the PN said had discussed the Mepa reform, measures to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus, and the economic situation.

Mr Agius was reacting to Labour media claims of pressure on Mr Debono after he did not participate in two votes in Parliament yesterday, denying the government a majority and forcing the Speaker to cast his vote. The Labour media also said that the parliamentary group had been called to an emergency meeting.

The PN in a statement said its parliamentary group meeting was a scheduled one.

It said the MPs also discussed the composition of Select Committees being set up by Parliament to draft regulations on assisted procreation and to oversee the re-codification of the laws. The committees are to be chaired by Nationalist MPs Jean Pierre Farrugia and Franco Debono respectively.

It was during voting on amendments to the motions setting up the select committees that the PN parliamentary group failed to muster a majority yesterday, with the votes ending in a tie. The Speaker voted against the amendments and the motions were retained in their original form.

The motions were later approved after Mr Debono entered the Chamber, giving the government a majority.

The PN in its statement referred to a statement by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat and pointed out that the actual motions were approved thanks to a government majority and the only government MPs who did not vote were two ministers who were abroad.

LABOUR REACTION

The Labour Party in a reaction said it was undeniable that the Speaker yesterday had to twice use his casting vote because the governemnt did not have a majority.

But the government, instead of facing the problem, was trying to hide it.

The PL said its interest was for the Maltese people to have stability and assistance, rather than fall victim to the uncertainty caused by the new water and power tariffs.