Opposition leader Joseph Muscat yesterday challenged the Prime Minister to present the Budget after saying he fully respected the Speaker’s ruling which effectively delayed another test of the Government’s stability.
“The Budget is a money Bill... If the Government is stable, it can move forward,” he said.
Asked if he would present a motion of no confidence in the Government, Dr Muscat said this was never on the cards.
Addressing the press yesterday morning, Dr Muscat agreed with Speaker Michael Frendo that Parliament’s regulations were outdated.
Dr Frendo made the comment while giving a ruling shortly after midnight of Monday’s evening session in Parliament.
Dr Muscat said a Labour Government would prioritise a much-needed reform of Parliament, through a Constitutional Convention to build a Second Republic.
He said Labour respected the Speaker’s ruling even if it had some reservations over the arguments used. This was unlike the PN, which had attacked the Broadcasting Authority because it disagreed with a recent decision.
Inviting Dr Gonzi to present this year’s Budget, Dr Muscat said this would be an opportunity for the Government to provide the country with an account of its work and be held responsible.
Meanwhile, Labour would continue to carry out its duties according to all the rules of democracy. It had no interest or power to put spokes in the Government’s wheels, he pointed out.
If the Speaker had ruled in Labour’s favour, a debate on the Government’s plans to privatise 34 car parks would have been discussed yesterday, possibly leading to a vote of confidence in Transport Minister Austin Gatt.
The Opposition had called for an urgent debate on the subject despite the fact that the Government had withdrawn the project. Instead, the Speaker scheduled a House Business Committee meeting for tomorrow in the hope that both sides could agree on a date to discuss the Opposition’s motion.
The motion seems to enjoy the support of Franco Debono and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando .
Dr Debono filed a motion of no confidence in Dr Gatt, which he also wants discussed, while Dr Pullicino Orlando filed a petition against the car park privatisation project.
On his blog Dr Debono has also urged the Prime Minister to present the Budget “now”, adding it would be a “privilege” to deal the “final blow” to the “oligarchy”.
Meanwhile, questions sent to the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday have remained unanswered and the Government did not react to Dr Muscat’s press conference.
The Times asked whether the Prime Minister still intended to present a Budget in November and whether Dr Gatt would step down before the Budget. Dr Debono has repeatedly said that he would vote against the Budget if Dr Gatt were to remain in Cabinet.
Earlier this year, the Prime Minister said he had asked Dr Gatt to step down from his position as minister to help the PN with its electoral campaign and that the minister had said he would do whatever was necessary to help the party.