The remaining Nationalist Party councillors in Sliema this evening moved a motion of no confidence in mayor Nikki Dimech.

Mr Dimech, who together with councillor Sandra Camilleri resigned from the Nationalist Party this afternoon, had been asked by the party to resign from mayor following allegations he had admitted to taking a bribe from a contractor.

Mr Dimech refused and the PN decided to kick Mr Dimech out of the party.

Speaking to the media just after submitting his resignation, Mr Dimech said he was resigning from the PN irrespective of the letter which had dismissed him from the party.

He insisted that he had nothing to hide and that he had not done anything wrong.

In their motion, PN councillors Cyrus Engerer, Edward Cuschieri, Julian Galea, Bobby Yves Cali, Joanna Gonzi and Patrick Pace said that in view of Mr Dimech’s admission to the police on soliciting commission from a council contractor, his position within the council became untenable and Sliema deserved better.

They proposed deputy mayor Gonzi as his successor.

The councillors presented their motion at the end of today’s council. The mayor now has to appoint a day for the motion to be debated. This has to be between five and 10 working days from today.