Opposition leader Simon Busuttil insisted this morning that the Ombudsman’s report about how Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg got permits for his properties near Rabat should have been for him to resign, without waiting for the report by the Commission for the Investigation of Corruption.

He made his comments during a fund-raising marathon currently being held by the Nationalist Party.

In his report the Ombudsman said Dr Borg used ‘devious’ methods to obtain his permits, which, Dr Busuttil said, should never have been issued.

"The least Dr Borg could have done was to suspend himself until the Corruption Commission takes its decision,” Dr Busuttil said, although the right thing would have been resignation. Failing that, the prime minister should have removed him.

“But the laws and standards which they expect of us, apparently, do not apply  to them,” Dr Busuttil said. 

“The law is there for everyone except Ian Borg, or Michael Falzon who seven months on has not shouldered responsibility for the Gaffarena case,” Dr Busuttil said. 

Dr Busuttil underlined the good governance document issued by the Nationalist Party earlier this month and welcomed comments made this morning by President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca on the way people, especially politicians, addressed each other, saying the government was repeatedly being aggressive when faced with criticism.