The Prime Minister is in office but not in power, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning. Speaking on the political situation in the country on One Radio, Dr Muscat said the Prime Minister’s priority at this point was to remain prime minister even if this meant that he had to be accompanied by another PM.
Dr Muscat said that the GonziPN government came to an end with Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s resignation from the PN yesterday and the country now had a coalition government, if it could be called so.
The government was weak and was conditioned with requiring external support before it could implement decisions.
“It is like having two Prime Ministers… The situation is ridiculous, the Prime Minister is accepting everything as long as he remains stuck to power.”
This situation, Dr Muscat said, was being detrimental to the country because it was keeping people, including investors, from taking decisions which needed to be taken.
Dr Muscat said he was not impressed with the legal arguments that were being made. The Prime Minister was in his ivory tower putting power before duty but the ball was in his court.
“We are in no hurry. If he wants to continue like this it is his choice but he has to shoulder responsibility for what can happen, the lack of decisions, the investment that can fall through…”
Dr Muscat said that the general consensus among the people, the independent media and civil society was that the current situation was unsustainable and their call was for the Prime Minister to call an election.
But Lawrence Gonzi, who, until some time ago had declared he wanted unconditional support, which it was clear he now did not have, was doing anything to remain stuck to power.
Asked whether the opposition was willing to reach a coalition government with Dr Pullicino Orlando, Dr Muscat said that had it been true he wanted to become the youngest Prime Minister, which he could not historically, since the youngest Prime Minister ever was Sir Ugo Mifsud, followed by Dom Mintoff, whom he wished a quick recovery, he would form this coalition.
But although this would be constitutionally correct, it would not be democratically so, Dr Muscat said, adding that, the way forward should be a general election, which was what civil society wanted.