Environment Minister Leo Brincat and government Whip Carmelo Abela yesterday morning filed complaints with Acting Speaker Ċensu Galea against the PN portal maltarightnow and its daily newspaper In-Nazzjon.

They both alleged that the Prime Minister’s escort had ignored new security arrangements in Parliament.

Mr Abela said that while Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had climbed the stairs leading to the chamber alone on Monday, his team had gone through the security arrangements by the lift.

They went up in the lift with Parliamentary Secretary Josè Herrera and Nationalist MP Giovanna Debono.

Mr Abela also asked Mr Galea to investigate PN official Anne Fenech who, while in the Strangers’ Gallery, had taken photographs of Opposition leader Simon Busuttil and posted them on her Facebook page. This was against Standing Orders.

Government Whip was right to complain

In the evening, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia confirmed that Mr Abela had been right to complain about items regarding the Prime Minister’s security officers. Statements collected from Parliament’s security staff had confirmed that Dr Muscat’s escorts had followed all security procedures laid down with effect from Monday.

The Speaker said he had asked both maltarightnow and In-Nazzjon to rectify their reports. maltarightnow had already done this but he was still not happy with the unchanged title. Dr Farrugia again called for rectification in both publications.

In his own complaint, Mr Brincat said that following the newspaper’s article – alleging €1 million was spent on travel by his ministry in 18 months – he had invited the Auditor General to investigate its travel operations. The newspaper had repeated the allegation in spite of his denial on Monday.

He said he had not lied, had nothing to hide and his officials could vouch that he had always insisted on full transparency and responsibility for one’s behaviour.

Dr Farrugia said he was not empowered to intervene in such an issue but Mr Brincat had other remedies at his disposal, including recourse to the National Audit Office.

On Dr Fenech’s Facebook posting, Dr Farrugia said this had already been removed but immediate steps would be taken if anybody in the Strangers’ Gallery or Press Gallery was caught breaching the Standing Orders.