The Prime Minister warned yesterday that the Nationalist Party would take further action against its MPs who voted with the opposition in Parliament.
The issue cannot end here
“The issue cannot end here,” he said in reply to a question on recent political developments.
Lawrence Gonzi said he tolerated criticism but could not accept that MPs from his stable had crossed a red line to vote with the other side to undermine the government.
Speaking at a PN activity, Dr Gonzi said these were internal issues, which the party would deal with internally.
The Prime Minister’s tough stance is an escalation over a condemnation by the party’s executive of backbenchers Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Jesmond Mugliett and Franco Debono, who, over the past two months, helped force the resignation of former Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Malta’s EU envoy Richard Cachia Caruana.
Dr Debono is challenging the decision, pointing out that he was not given the opportunity to defend himself.
Dr Pullicino Orlando, on the other hand, asked the PN executive to consider the expulsion of Mr Cachia Caruana from the party.
Dr Gonzi said the MPs in question could not act as though nothing had happened and the party needed to continue to address the matter seriously in the interests of the truth.
Referring to the decision by the European Commission last week to give Malta the green light for Air Malta’s restructuring plan, Dr Gonzi said approval of the plan was not easy and the airline’s success was a credit to many people, such as Mr Cachia Caruana.
The good news, he said, underscored the irony of the “unfair and unjustified” motion against Mr Cachia Caruana that had been approved in Parliament thanks to the support of Dr Pullicino Orlando and the abstention of Mr Mugliett.
Dr Gonzi also spoke about the recent EU summit in which Malta took a stand against raising pensionable age and modifying the cost of living adjustment mechanism, as recommended by the European Commission.
Malta disagreed with the proposed summit conclusions, Dr Gonzi said, pointing out that the island had reformed the pensions system a few years ago and was gradually raising the retirement age to 65.
Using the EU’s own yardstick, Malta would not need to raise its retirement age further for another 30 years, he added.
On the Cohabitation Bill, Dr Gonzi said the law would bring in duties and responsibilities in various scenarios such as the case where two people lived together, had children but never married and then one of them moved out.
He said the legislative proposals would be debated in Cabinet following a public consultation.