Nationalist MP Franco Debono told timesofmalta.com tonight that he will not vote against the government in the confidence vote on Monday and on the vote on the censure motion against Richard Cachia Caruana.

"I will surely not vote against the government in either of them" he said.

"They (the government) have known my position on Cachia Caruana for a long time. My criticism of Mr Cachia Caruana is different from that of the Opposition," Dr Debono said.

As for today's vote, Dr Debono said the prime minister had known what would happen for a year.  "We did not need to go through all this, he (the minister) could have resigned, the end result is the same," Dr Debono said.

"I am a firm Nationalist but I had no alternative today in view of the minister's shortcomings in the running of the ministry.

"Two months ago I suggested to the prime minister that he should take away the home affairs portfolio from Dr Mifsud Bonnici and give him other ministerial responsibilities," he added.

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