Vella, Mizzi, will not attend PN executive meeting

Former Labour Ministers Karmenu Vella and Joe Mizzi, as expected, have declared they will not attend this afternoon's meeting of the PN Executive Committee.

The two were included in Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando's list of five witnesses to back his case that Richard Cachia Caruana colluded with the PL between 1996-98, worked in the interests of other countries, and created problems for the prime minister. Mr Cachia Caruana denies the claims.

In identical letters, Mr Vella and Mr Mizzi said they had already declared publicly what they needed to say. The Executive Committee was not a judicial institution and they did not wish to be involved in the internal disputes of its officials, more so when the prime minister appeared to have already decided in favour of Mr Cachia Caruana.

The other witnesses on Dr Pullicino Orlando's list were Police Commissioner John Rizzo, who has said he does not wish to involve himself in politics, European Commissioner John Dalli, who has indicated it may be impossible for him to attend because of official commitments, and the government's communications chief Gordon Pisani, who said he will attend, although he does not know anything which could directly or indirectly back Dr Pulllicino Orlando's claims.