The Prime Minister agrees with what Hermann Schiavone has said on why he closed the chapter on his potential candidature with the Nationalist Party.

I confirm all that he has said. I have nothing else to add. The situation is very clear- Lawrence Gonzi

Lawrence Gonzi said: “I confirm all that he has said. I have nothing else to add. The situation is very clear.”

The PN said it refused to field Dr Schiavone for the third consecutive general election after he continued to resist withdrawing an allegation made against rebel MP Franco Debono.

In a Talking Point that appeared in The Times yesterday, explaining why his candidacy was rejected, Dr Schiavone said: “For the past two years, the party asked me to sign a declaration to withdraw an allegation I never made. This was unacceptable to me.

“If running for Parliament was the be-all and end-all to me I would have signed. But it is not. Having made no allegations, I retained that no declarations were necessary.”

He quelled speculation that his non-choice was spurred by Transport Minister Austin Gatt to push his protégé, Manuel Delia, in his stead.

“This is utter rubbish. I know Gatt; Gatt is a party man and would do all he can to maximise the party’s vote tally in the election,” he wrote.

“Although Delia is close to him, for Gatt, the party’s interest comes before anything else.”

He also referred to Dr Gonzi giving him permission to start working in his electoral district three years ago.

“I started my work immediately and, for over three years, I was present in the district, regularly visiting families in their homes, meeting people who solicited my advice,” he wrote.

Despite being “hurt”, Dr Schiavone said he will “remain loyal”.