The PN Executive has banned rebel MPs Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Franco Debono and Jesmond Mugliett from contesting the general election as Nationalist candidates.
The decision was taken at a meeting lasting just under two hours and announced by the Prime Minister, who said it would strengthen the PN.
The meeting today unanimously approved a list of 60 election candidates and a motion saying that the three MPs would not be allowed to contest the election as PN candidates.
Dr Pullicino Orlando and Mr Mugliett had already said they would not seek re-election.
Dr Debono in comments to timesofmalta.com said the decision reflected badly on the PN's democratic credentials. He said he had never said he would contest the election, and he had declared that he was prepared to sacrifice his political career. However he had no regrets over what he had done. He also pointed out that he resigned from the PN last January and it was the party which did not accept his resignation.
Dr Debono said he did not know what he would do in parliament from now on.
"It will be very difficult for me to support a government where Austin Gatt is still in Cabinet, notwithstanding the Arriva and BWSC fiascos, and when Dr Gatt was the most vociferous in asking the Executive to ban me from contesting the election because I abstained in the Arriva vote, while he is pushing his assistant Manuel Delia as a candidate in my district. This is horrible in a democracy and unacceptable in a democracy and if they had the decency to resign I would not have had to go through all this," Dr Debono said.
People died in prison and nothing happened, he continued, and yet he was being punished for disagreeing with the leader. "From an oligarchy this has become a dictatorship," he said.
JPO - MISTAKE TO ESCALATE THE SITUATION NOW
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said this decision was expected, but it was a mistake to escalate the situation before the Executive discussed his claims against Richard Cachia Caruana on Tuesday. "This is putting the cart before the horse" he said, adding that he would continue to focus on Tuesday's meeting. "I am positive that the Executive will be obliged to expel Mr Cachia Caruana from the party," he said.
Asked if the decision would affect the way he acts in parliament, Dr Pullicino Orlando said he had already declared he would not contest the election. He however looked forward to the time when he could be able to stand for election with the PN in the election after the next, when the clique within the party was, hopefully, removed and matters were improved within the PN, Dr Pullicino Orlando said.
PM GONZI'S COMMENTS
In a press conference Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the three MPs would remain members of the PN but would not be allowed to contest the election under the PN banner. "This is not an expulsion," he said and he hoped the PN would be able to continue its programme for the remaining of the legislature.
He said the Executive's decision was based on the fact that these MPs did not observe the party whip on a number of occasions. MPs were not elected on their own behalf but under the party list, he said.
This decision, he said, strengthen the PN and was consistent with his statements that everyone had to shoulder responsibility for his decisions.
He said the 60 election candidates included new candidates Dr Mario Rizzo Naudi a family doctor, cardiac surgeon Prof Albert Fenech, former MITA chairman Claudio Grech, Emanuel Delia, head of Austin Gatt's secretariat and Therese Comodini Cachia, a human rights lawyer, trade unionist Gejtu Vella as well Siggiewi deputy mayor engineer Ryan Callus. The candidates' list is not final.
MUGLIETT- LOYALTY CANNOT BE MEASURED BY ONE VOTE
Mr Mugliett said he had explained to the Executive that loyalty was not measured on the basis of one vote. There had been several votes where he had difficulty to follow the party line but he had done so even though time proved him right - as in the case of the ministerial pay/honoraria issue and the power station which would still be converted to gas. He had also had difficulties with regard to the Special Purpose Vehicle proposal while on divorce he had spoken to the prime minister before the votes.
He had abstained only in the Cachia Caruana motion, which was not properly discussed in the parliamentary group and did not involve any issue which was in the electoral programme. In that vote he considered the dignity of parliament before party.
Mr Mugliett said the Executive's decision would not make much difference to him since he had decided not to stand for re-election because of how he and others were marginalised, through no fault of their own.When consulted on Mepa, he had handed in a whole dossier, he recalled.
One would have to see what would happen in parliament, he added. The electoral programme and loyalty to constituents were important considerations, and one had to see if Parliament would actually reconvene, Mr Mugliett said.
JPO LEAVES MEETING EARLY
Dr Pullicino Orlando walked out of the meeting an hour after it started.
He told waiting reporters that he had been given every opportunity to explain his position and his argument was that once the Executive would, on Tuesday, discuss his call for the party to expel Richard Cachia Caruana, matters should not be escalated until then.
He said that he felt he should leave the meeting to allow all those present to discuss what they wished.
When asked if the meeting would escalate matters, Dr Pullicino Orlando replied "It looks like it".
Franco Debono and Jesmond Mugliett walked out at 8.15 p.m. when the meeting ended, without making any direct comment on the meeting.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is expected to hold a press conference later this evening.
EDDIE FENECH ADAMI ATTENDS MEETING
Eddie Fenech Adami, the former President, prime minister and PN leader, was among those who turned up for the meeting.
Ministers and other MPs were tight-lipped, except for Francis Zammit Dimech, who when asked about the PN being divided, replied that the PN always emerged from such events united.
On arrival, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said he stood by his 'advice' to Richard Cachia Caruana to resign from the Nationalist Party. His call for the Executive to consider expelling Mr Cachia Caruana for 'collusion' with the PL is expected to be discussed by the Executive on Tuesday. Mr Cachia Caruana is denying all claims.
Two security men who accompanied Dr Pullicino Orlando were not allowed into PN headquarters, despite the protests of one of them, Stephen Ciangura. (See below)
Jesmond Mugliett said he expected a 'positive discussion' in the Executive's meeting.
Franco Debono would only say that the Prime Minister today took up his proposal to set up a committee to propose reforms to the Police Corps.
Earlier this month the Executive condemned the three MPs for voting with the opposition. Dr Debono had backed an opposition motion which forced the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici while Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando backed a motion which caused the resignation of Mr Cachia Caruana. Mr Mugliett had abstained in the vote on the Cachia Caruana motion.
'RIDICULOUS' INCIDENT INVOLVING SECURITY OFFICERS
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando this evening described as 'ridiculous' an incident where his security officers were not allowed to accompany him into PN headquarters before the start of the PN Executive meeting.
"I was accompanied by two friends who are regularly used by the PN as security officials. They included Stephen Ciangura who just two weeks ago provided security for the prime minister's birthday party.
"These people have been going to PN headquarters for years, working as security officers, and yet they were today stopped by persons we hardly ever saw there, people who belong to a particular clique," Dr Pullicino Orlando said.
"The incident was ridiculous, he added, saying that Mr Ciangura, in particular, was deeply hurt but had managed to control his emotions during the incident and backed off after a brief argument. (See end of video above)