The opposition yesterday once again protested against what it described as the failure of Leader of the House, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, to indicate a date when the opposition motion on justice and home affairs would be discussed and declared it and did not agree with the Parliamentary agenda for the next two weeks.

Government’s actions are detrimental to democracy

During a meeting of the House Business Committee, Anglu Farrugia, for the opposition, said Minister Mifsud Bonnici’s intransigence was the result either of problems, personal interest or, God forbid, incompetence.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici repeatedly said he could not indicate a date when the motion could be discussed because of the prevailing situation in the European Union where ministers were called for urgent meetings in connection with the economic situation. He said that both the Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance would be abroad next week.

He said circumstances had not changed since the last committee meeting at the end of last month and therefore he could not set a date for the debate. With ministers needing to go abroad, priority had to be given to economic developments in the EU and the agenda of the House had to be set according to the national interest.

Dr Farrugia: “... or the interests of the party.”

He said that next Tuesday and Wednesday, the House would continue its debate on the Sustainable Development Bill and in the following week it would start the debate on the Stability Pact and the Greek bailout. The House would not be meeting on Monday because of the local council elections results.

The minister emphasised that the government intended to move all motions for debate at the appropriate time. Mr Mizzi said there already existed a procedural motion to regulate voting when ministers were abroad.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that the procedural motion was intended only in normal circumstances.

Mr Mizzi said the government was clearly avoiding any votes in Parliament. This confirmed that there was political instability.

The government’s actions were detrimental to democracy, he said.

Earlier, the committee did not agree that the meeting on the Ombudsplan be video-streamed until the suggested guidelines were reviewed.