The opposition today formally presented its no confidence motion in Home Affairs Minister Manual Mallia to the Speaker of the House and insisted it should be debated immediately.

Speaking to journalists after presenting the motion to Speaker Anglu Farrugia, PN Deputy Leader Mario de Marco deplored the Prime Minister’s comments yesterday that the debate would be held after the conclusion of the current inquiry. Dr Muscat was continuing to shift his responsibility to sack Dr Mallia onto the judiciary, Dr de Marco said.

“Political responsibility has to be shouldered. No judicial inquiry will assess political responsibility. We are asking the Prime Minister to do his job and hold Dr  Mallia politically responsible for what has happened,” dr de Marco said.

He said that the inquiry being held by the  three former judges would establish what has happened and its legality, and would stop there. Yet it was evident that the Prime Minister was trying to use the inquiry to avoid asking for Dr Mallia’s resignation.

Asked whether the opposition realised that the motion stood no chance of approval due to the government’s huge majority in parliament, Dr de Marco said that the opposition, unlike the Prime Minister, would still continue to do this job as it believed that it was acting on behalf of the general feeling in the country.