Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Nationalist MP Franco Debono this afternoon backed an Opposition call for a motion on car parks privatisation plans to be debated in parliament, even though the government had shelved its plans.
Speaking in the House Business Committee, Dr Debono said he had prepared an amendment to the Opposition's motion to include a vote of no confidence in Transport Minister Austin Gatt.
Dr Pullicino Orlando said many people were angry at the arbitrary way how the government had planned to privatise the car parks. The fact that public land was to have been privatised without consultation and reference to parliament, practically behind everybody's back, was a serious matter. What was to have taken place was arrogant and shameful. This was a clear case of abuse of power and the government was right to have stopped it.
Leader of the House Tonio Borg said the government did not see the need for the debate once the privatisation process had been shelved. He also said this was not a transfer of public land but transfer of the management of the car parks.
Dr Debono said that when speaking about arrogance, Dr Pullicino Orlando was clearly referring to minister Austin Gatt. There needed to be political accountability and hence the opposition's motion, with his amendment of no confidence in Dr Gatt, should be debated with urgency.
Labour MPs Joe Mizzi and Anglu Farrugia insisted that the debate needed to be heard with urgency because of the importance of the motion.
Dr Borg said he could not say more at this stage.
Mr Mizzi said a parliamentary majority was in favour of the holding of this debate.
The committee agreed that a decision will be taken on Thursday.
TRIBUTE TO DOM MINTOFF
Earlier in today's meeting, the committee agreed that Parliament will this evening adjourn early out of respect for Dom Mintoff, who passed away in August.
The House will this evening also express its condolences to former minister Louis Deguara following the passing away of his father.
Tomorrow, the House will kick off business with the ratification of motions on the EU Stability Mechanism and the Fiscal Compact Treaty (for a balanced Budget). The debates are expected to continue till next Monday or possibly Tuesday.
Dr Borg said he was proposing that the House should then resume its debate on the updating of the censorship laws (the film and theatre classification bill), which is approaching its conclusion.
He proposed that the House should then, on October 15, start the debate on the IVF Bill.
Labour whip Joe Mizzi said the Opposition agreed this was an important bill which should be discussed as soon as possible.
Dr Franco Debono said that once he had declared he would vote against the Budget, one could not continue living a lie in discussing the programme of the House like nothing was happening.
Mr Speaker Michael Frendo asked Dr Debono to stick to the subject and not raise issues which had nothing to do. The committee was currently discussing the IVF Bill.