EU Health Commissioner John Dalli will not testify today in the case against ousted ambassador to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana as the PN’s executive reconvenes.
Mr Dalli said he had a number of appointments in Brussels that had long been scheduled.
“I want to testify but I cannot be at the beck and call of the party’s executive. My diary is public and it is impossible for me to testify tomorrow (today),” he said, adding that the PN executive meetings were normally held on Thursdays not Tuesdays.
Mr Dalli only received the PN executive’s formal notification to testify yesterday afternoon, along with the other four witnesses identified by PN backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando. The MP has asked the PN to expel Mr Cachia Caruana, a longtime PN strategist.
PN executive president Marthese Portelli said the delay was a result of Dr Pullicino Orlando not adhering to agreed procedure.
Dr Pullicino Orlando rebutted: “I only stopped fleshing out the details of the case after Dr Portelli accused me of bad faith over the weekend.”
The five witnesses are Police Commissioner John Rizzo, Mr Dalli, MPs and former Labour ministers Karmenu Vella and Joe Mizzi and the Prime Minister’s communications coordinator Gordon Pisani.
It is likely that only Mr Pisani will appear today. He has said Dr Pullicino Orlando’s accusations have no basis. The MP will most likely present sworn declarations from Mr Vella and Mr Mizzi.