Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday he was not “excluding anything” and would not hold back from taking further action should additional developments necessitate it.
He was speaking at a press conference on former minister Joe Cassar’s resignation from his post as PN culture spokesman.
Earlier in the day, Economy Minister Chris Cardona described the developments as a “farce”, saying that Dr Cassar was not even a shadow minister but merely a spokesman and still formed part of the PN.
He slammed Dr Busuttil as being “weak and artificial” and accused him of “double standards”.
The case of Dr Cassar demonstrated how the Nationalist Party had remained the same party as that led by Lawrence Gonzi, he said.
Labour MP Deborah Schembri said Dr Cassar had flagrantly broken the code of ethics which clearly dictated that ministers should not accept gifts or services which could, in some way or another, render them obligated towards the benefactor.
Dr Busuttil, she continued, should take matters into his own hands and not passively leave it up to his party members to decide on their own fate – as he had done with Toni Bezzina (who allegedly coerced government workers into making false declarations), Claudio Grech (who did not tell the Public Accounts Committee that he had met rogue oil trader George Farrugia) and Giovanna Debono, whom he defended and, later, accepted her resignation.
Let me be clear: it is not easy to change the culture towards honest and clean politics... But I am determined to try
When asked why Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Michael Falzon was not requested to resign despite an internal inquiry uncovering wrong land valuations regarding the expropriation of half a Valletta building from Mr Gaffarena’s son, Mark, Dr Cardona said the Prime Minister was awaiting the outcomes of the National Audit Office’s investigations.
“If it turns out there were political or administrative faults, I have no doubt the Prime Minister will act accordingly, without compromise.”
Dr Busuttil said that he did not feel the need to ask Dr Cassar to resign from the party because there was no illegality involved or misuse of public funds.
He compared the case with that of former Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, saying he was asked to resign from his post as minister and not from the party.
“If I were Prime Minister and Joe Cassar was a minister, he would have been made to resign from his post as minister.”
He urged Dr Muscat to break his silence and take action on “far more serious” issues which were happening under his watch, namely the Old Mint expropriation, the Australia Hall, Café Premier, the Siġġiewi Labour Party club and the scandal which saw the Land Department allow the General Workers’ Union to lease part of its Valletta headquarters.
He also called on the Prime Minister to immediately remove Dr Falzon from his post as parliamentary secretary.
“Let me be clear: it is not easy to change the culture towards honest and clean politics. I know what I’m saying because I went through it [on Sunday]. But I am determined to truly bring about a change in Maltese politics,” Dr Busuttil said.