The opposition motion in Parliament, which led to the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, was a “hard blow” to “genuine” politics, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.
Speaking at a rally in Pembroke, Dr Gonzi reiterated his demand for a “clear” and “unconditional” vote in the confidence motion tonight to allow the government to continue working for the country.
The confidence motion was called by the Prime Minister himself after Nationalist MP Franco Debono voted with the opposition to oust Dr Mifsud Bonnici on Wednesday.
In a scathing speech that elicited loud cheers from his audience, Dr Gonzi said Wednesday’s vote had been an attack on someone who truly wanted to serve his country.
The target in question, Dr Mifsud Bonnici, received a hero’s welcome at the rally. Dr Gonzi and Dr Mifsud Bonnici embraced at the centre of the stage, amid chants of “we believe in you” by the crowd present.
Visibly emotional, Dr Mifsud Bonnici greeted fellow MPs, ministers and supporters in the tent before being given a bear hug by Transport Minister Austin Gatt, who was lifted off the ground briefly.
Standing in the middle of the tent, Dr Gonzi spoke for 40 minutes from a podium.
He argued that the motion showed Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s true ambition: to be Malta’s youngest Prime Minister. “This isn’t the reason why we are in politics. We are there to serve the country,” Dr Gonzi said, echoing President Emeritus Eddie Fenech Adami, a former Prime Minister and Nationalist Party leader.
The motion, Dr Gonzi added, revealed the PL’s opportunism and did not justify Dr Mifsud Bonnici’s resignation. He listed former ministers, including Labour MP Evarist Bartolo and Alex Sceberras Trigona, who, he said, should have faced no confidence motions but did not.
Dr Gonzi recalled that, in the 1980s, Dr Sceberras Trigona had signed a secret weapons deal with North Korea “behind everyone’s back”, adding that those same weapons were used during celebrations held by the PN to mark Independence.
Even Labour MP George Vella should have faced a censure motion for freezing Malta’s EU membership application, “embarrassing us”, he added.
All the members of Labour’s 1981 government should face a vote of no confidence for ruling the country when their party had not won the majority of votes but merely the majority of seats.
Turning to Dr Mifsud Bonnici, Dr Gonzi said the former minister had “acknowledged” and “recognised” Wednesday’s vote on the motion even though it was “unjust”. He had distinguished himself in his actions, his integrity, values and sense of service.
“It was with a heavy heart that I accepted his letter of resignation,” he said.
Referring to a recent proposal by Dr Muscat to offer community housing for people with disabilities, Dr Gonzi lashed out at the way the opposition was manipulating families.
“I was disgusted at the way people with a disability and their families were manipulated in such an opportunistic way,” he said, saying repeatedly that Labour should be “ashamed”.
Dr Muscat spoke of the idea without even mentioning that these homes already existed all over Malta, Dr Gonzi said.
In a reaction, the PL said Dr Gonzi’s “hysterical speech” confirmed that he was “in denial” and did not want to listen to anyone.
The Prime Minister was “cornered” and lashed out in hysterical attacks.