Tonio Fenech was urged to contest the PN deputy leader post by ministers Mario de Marco and Chris Said who assured him of their support, he reveals in an interview with The Sunday Times.
I think we are in a campaign and I think messages need to be sent
The Finance Minister was asked who came up with the idea to rally behind him as the sole contender of MEP Simon Busuttil, to which he replied: “Mario and Chris both encouraged me to contest and actually came themselves and said: ‘If you contest, we will support you. We believe you have the potential and credentials for the post.’”
Mr Fenech, who entered the contest with a whopping 138 nominations, quashes the notion that he is contesting Dr Busuttil just to have a contest and admits that his long list of endorsers was meant to send a message.
“I think we are in a campaign and I think messages need to be sent.”
Mr Fenech also believes he has the support of Transport Minister Austin Gatt and Resources Minister George Pullicino, who have both not publicly pledged their allegiance.
Meanwhile, MEP Simon Busuttil says he is being backed by at least 15 MPs and though he believes he is now at a disadvantage, with Cabinet supporting Mr Fenech, he says: “I am not for giving up”.
Dr Busuttil says he did not ask any Cabinet members to endorse him, except Health Minister Joe Cassar, who is a close friend, because he did not want to put them in any “embarrassing” or “uncomfortable” positions.
He also points out that the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg “have been correct not to sign or get engaged in this in any manner”.
Dr Busuttil also issued a thinly veiled barb at other potential contenders who did not submit their nominations, when asked about his eventual party leadership aspirations.
“I (could) have simply stayed out of this, waited for my party to lose and then make my bid for the top job... I preferred to come to my party’s help when my party needed help most and not wait for it to be defeated before I put my name forward.”
Asked whether this was a critique on other candidates who kept out of the race, he said: “Well, it was their decision. What we know is that there is Tonio Fenech and myself who have contested this election and I have no doubt in my mind that both Tonio and myself are doing this out of loyalty to the party.”
The election for PN deputy leader, for which around 900 PN councillors will vote, is scheduled for November 30.
See interviews in The Sunday Times.