Nationalist MP Franco Debono yesterday said he would “not accept” a parliamentary vote on the budget before Labour’s motion on justice and home affairs was debated.

I gave them enough time to remedy the situation and won’t accept a vote

Dr Debono has frequently threatened the government’s one-seat majority but when given an opportunity to deal a decisive blow in January, he abstained from a vote of no confidence.

His latest combative comments came on the first day of Parliament’s reconvening after a four-week Easter recess. Since January’s vote, there have been no divisions called in Parliament.

“I think I gave them enough time and holidays to remedy the situation and I will not accept to have a vote on the Budget Measures Implementation Bill before the motion,” Dr Debono told The Times yesterday.

The motion was presented by the Opposition on December 5 and Labour has since repeatedly criticised the government for not bringing it up for debate. Dr Debono claimed that Parliament was being bypassed through delaying tactics, and he added this was unacceptable.

“I made it clear to the Prime Minister that I will not accept the budget vote before the debate on the justice motion,” he said.

The motion demands that political responsibility be assumed for “endemic problems” in the sectors falling under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, which was then under the responsibility of Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.

The ministry was later split into different departments.

Dr Debono also said he disagreed with the way the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs was divided, arguing that the Attorney General’s office should have been placed within the Home Affairs Ministry.