The Opposition has presented a parliamentary motion asking for a review of the Speaker’s ruling which found its leader Simon Busuttil guilty of a breach of privilege.
Dr Busuttil on Tuesday accused the Government of trying to gag the Opposition after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat raised a breach of privilege complaint. This followed Dr Busuttil’s allegation that Dr Muscat interfered in a police probe over the John Dalli case.
The Prime Minister denied the claim and demanded the Opposition Leader retract it or substantiate his statement, made on Monday. He then demanded a ruling from the Speaker.
The Standing Orders give MPs two days to demand a revision of a ruling.
Nationalist MPs returned to the House yesterday and it was business as usual after their abrupt walkout in protest over the ruling on Tuesday night.
It was political expression in the highest institution of the country
During the confirmation of minutes, Opposition whip David Agius noted that the walkout was not mentioned. The Speaker said that was also the case in the past.
Government whip Carmelo Abela said however that the government side had no objection to adding a line about the walkout.
The Opposition motion says that the comments made by the Leader of the Opposition and the political conclusion he reached (about political interference with the Police Commissioner to stop action against John Dalli) was an exercise in the fundamental right of freedom of expression.
In this case, it was political expression in the highest institution of the country.
Any attempt by the Prime Minister to hinder any MP from expressing his judgement or political opinion was therefore an attempt to undermine parliamentary democracy.
Furthermore, in making his privilege complaint the Prime Minister had not followed the proper procedure as also demanded by Labour MP Joe Mizzi in a motion on March 22, 2006.
The motion therefore called for the Speaker’s ruling to be revised and a report to be made to the House.
Tension returned to the Chamber when Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici, replying to a question on transparency by Jason Azzopardi (PN), referred to the €500 a week increase which he said former ministers had secretly taken.
When Nationalist MPs protested, Minister Joe Mizzi said the minister could reply as he wished. The Speaker asked Dr Bonnici to stick to the subject.
PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami (PN) asked Dr Bonnici questions on the ministerial declaration of assets including how, he said, a minister had declared he had €500,000 at home from a property transaction (when no such transaction was recorded), how a minister forgot to declare a Brussels account of €120,000 and how another had a loan of €800,000 but declared a minimum wage.
Dr Bonnici said the ministerial declaration of assets was important, but even more important was how, in the past, a minister completely forgot about a Swiss bank account, or how ministers took a pay rise without telling anyone.
Chris Fearne (PL) asked about the preparation of a new ministerial code of ethics. Dr Bonnici said a draft was ready and would be published for consultation in the coming days.
The House then approved the first reading of a Bill moved by Claudette Pace (PN) which amends the Constitution.