Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando says he is certain he will be re-elected if he stands at the next general election, but he has not yet made his mind whether to.
Dr Pullicino Orlando revealed a few weeks ago that he had been invited to stand by the Nationalist Party.
In an interview to freelance journalist Josanne Cassar, Pullicino Orlando said he will never change sides and he will remain loyal to the people who elected him.
He admitted he was feeling “a bit uncomfortable” in the PN.
“This is not the party I felt I was in. The level of attacks against me and colleagues of mine are now becoming unacceptable, he said.
Asked whether he felt the PN will win in 2013 Pulllicino Orlando said: “Were I a gambling man I wouldn’t place any bets on it. And to be absolutely honest, I think, even though it will be disappointing, the PN should look at the bright side. If you use your time in Opposition well you can re-organise yourself and there are a number of areas where this is needed. There is a lot detachment between the party and what is happening in the administration.”
COACHING ON THE MISTRA CASE
On the furore over the Mistra case before the last general Pullicino Orlando said he was informed by the PN that Alfred Sant was going to start attacking him on the Mistra issue. (Pullicino Orlando had been granted an outline permit to set up an open air disco in Mistra)
He said he was instructed by Richard Cachia Caruana and Joe Saliba (then PN general secretary) to chase after Alfred Sant whenever he spoke publicly, in order to confront him when he did mention me.
“I went along with it because I am loyal to the party but then it got completely out of control and it became the electoral issue. Stupidly so, I think, because Dr Sant lost all his credibility when he did not wish to face me. There was absolutely nothing to attack me on and I will keep on saying it until I’m blue in the face. When it came to the BA press conference, I actually had people coaching me beforehand, telling me exactly what to say. In that first article I wrote on 1 May in order to pre-empt the issue, I had a ghost writer.”
He said Alfred Sant’s psychological profile was studied intensely by the PN to predict how he would react, and his behaviour was right on cue.
http://josannecassar.com/lunch-with-josanne/dr-jeffrey-pullicino-orlando-at-riviera-della-marina-at-the-birgu-waterfront/