Nationalist MP Franco Debono said today that his decision over how to vote in parliament yesterday had matured over months and years after he had tried all other avenues to bring about reform.
"I was guided by reason and the supreme interest of justice and home affairs as well democratic principles," he told timesofmalta.com.
Dr Debono yesterday supported an Opposition no-confidence motion in Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, forcing his resignation.
"I hope that the sacrifice and difficult moments my family and I have been through will serve to establish meritocracy, where ministerial careers are open to talent and political accountability. I also hope that what happened yesterday paves the way for reforms in justice and home affairs which were being blocked," he said.
“My ultimate goal is to see the implementation of political and justice reforms about which practically everyone agrees."
"Party loyalty should complement reason and democratic principles not substitute them.
"Let's focus on the reforms now."
Dr Debono complained that from the debate it emerged that Dr Mifsud Bonnici used to 'consult and collude' with members of the Labour opposition more than he consulted the backbench of his own party. He also complained that he was treated 'worse than Labour' in that his 22-point private member's motion on justice reforms was not brought up for debate in the House even though it was presented a month before that of the Opposition.
He also noted that, after the vote, both the Prime Minister and Dr Mifsud Bonnici said they were not surprised by the outcome of the vote.
"Once they had known my position for a long time, why did they take the party and the government through this ordeal instead of having the minister resign before?"
The criminal lawyer said he would continue to insist on reforms in the justice system and in home affairs. Malta, he said, could not continue to have a situation where, over the past few years, both inmates and a warder had been convicted of drug trafficking in the prisons, where people died in police custody or where people had their fundamental human rights breached by the authorities.
He also wanted to see a law on party financing and a reform of the electoral law.
The prime minister yesterday called a vote of confidence in the wake of Dr Mifsud Bonnici's resignation and said he hoped the vote could be taken on Monday. Dr Debono said he would not vote against the government.
In his comments yesterday Dr Gonzi regretted having to accept Dr Mifsud Bonnici's resignation. He praised his for his work and loyalty and said that the government would not be distracted from the overriding priority to safeguard the economy and create jobs.