Updated 4.20pm - Added PN reaction
Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis this afternoon accused Opposition leader Simon Busuttil of weak leadership in the wake of a controversy surrounding an Outside Development Zone application by PN MP Toni Bezzina.
Mr Bezzina was forced to withdraw a planning application for the restoration of derelict WWII structures and the construction of a three bedroom dwelling in an almond grove, in the outskirts of Rabat. The site is outside the development zone.
Mr Bezzina, who is also Agriculture shadow minister and co-author of the PN's environmental policy, only withdrew his application after a report about the application appeared in Labour Party media last Sunday.
READ: Nationalist MP withdraws ODZ application
Addressing a news conference at PL headquarters, Dr Zammit Lewis accused Dr Busuttil of hypocrisy as well as weak leadership. He said that following the crusade against the American University campus, part of which is on ODZ land, it turned out that one of his own MPs was vying to build a "villa" in the countryside.
"Mr Bezzina only announced that he was withdrawing the application after being exposed, and not because he believed he was doing something wrong," he added.
Asked if he was seeking the resignation of Mr Bezzina, the Tourism Minister said that it was up to the PN leader to decide what measures to take. Dr Zammit Lewis added that this incident did not bode well for good governance.
When it was pointed out to him that the Prime Minister himself was being accused of being weak on the Panama Papers scandal, he insisted that this had led to a reshuffle which he said might not have necessarily "pleased" everyone.
'We lead by positive example' - PN
In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that Mr Bezzina had broken no laws in filing the application, but that the party expected its MPs to uphold higher standards than those expected of other citizens.
"For [party leader] Simon Busuttil, it is not acceptable for MPs to build in ODZ areas," the party said in a statement.
Mr Bezzina's decision to withdraw his application showed the stark difference between Dr Busuttil and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the statement said.
"Simon Busuttil leads by positive example, while Joseph Muscat leads by negative ones," it said.