Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola said this afternoon that assuming that the phone transcripts released by the PN media were authentic, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia should be forced to resign.

The transcripts relate to a shooting incident in which Dr Mallia’s driver shot at a car which hit the ministerial car. A government statement was issued that night stating that warning shots in the air had been fired.

Prof. Cassola pointed out that by 9.15pm that evening, Dr Mallia had communicated with his driver and he knew that his driver had shot at body level.

“Yet, together with the Prime Minister's aide Kurt Farrugia, he concocted a fairy tale whereby he declared that he had not spoken to his driver and then that the shots had only been fired in the air.

“Since the Minister has proved himself to be a big liar, after the firing of the bullet shots, it is time for the minister to be fired now. The Prime Minister's aide should join him immediately until further responsibilities are ascertained.

“In the meantime, for the sake of truth and transparency, the PN should provide the enquiring judges and magistrate with the original tapes of the telephone conversations," Prof. Cassola said.

He said that the new revelations and the investigative stories by the independent media in the past weeks only strengthened the argument that Dr Mallia was not fit to occupy the position of minister.