The commission will examine the PN’s commercial interests and financial situation. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The PN commission that will look at how to extricate the party from its dire financial situation may be set up this week.

PN leader Simon Busuttil told Times of Malta he was hoping to finalise its composition this week, confirming his intention to make the issue a top priority.

The commission will examine the party’s commercial interests and financial situation in the wake of serious cash flow problems that saw employees receiving their wages late.

“This is an urgent matter,” Dr Busuttil told PN councillors during the extraordinary general conference on Sunday, which approved a change in statute to allow the party to have two deputy leaders.

Contacted yesterday, Dr Busuttil said he was not in a position to reveal the names of members of the commission, as they had not yet been finalised.

Dr Busuttil had announced the setting up of this special commission in the run-up to his election as leader, saying the situation needed to be addressed as soon as possible.

He would not comment on the input he expected from one of the leadership contenders, Raymond Bugeja, a successful businessman with a vast background in management, who is being tipped as the best person to take over in the role of CEO.

“I hope that all leadership candidates will be able to continue contributing to the party, including Ray,” Dr Busuttil said.

Mr Bugeja, although a newcomer to the political field, said when contacted that his role within the party was still under discussion and he was willing to help the party in every possible way.

“My role is still in the phase of being established and will be announced when Simon (Busuttil) feels it is time to announce it. Before that, it would be speculative to comment,” he said.

He did not comment when asked whether he was considering making a run for a seat on the party’s national executive.

“That is all I am able to say at this moment. There is a lot of goodwill from everyone and a lot of energy and desire to help the party back to where it belongs.”

Asked about his idea to increase the membership to €25 from €10, Mr Bugeja said this was just one of the options he had floated in his leadership campaign as a possible source of revenue.

Meanwhile, the party received no nominations yesterday for the deputy leadership election.

The time window closes at 2pm today. MPs Beppe Fenech Adami and Claudette Buttigieg are expected to throw their names into the hat for deputy leader of party affairs, while Mario de Marco is widely seen as a likely contender for deputy leader of parliamentary affairs.