Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici got a standing ovation by PN councillors today, within minutes of the opening of a regular meeting of the PN general council.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici faces a censure motion in parliament on Wednesday.
The president of the PN executive, Marthese Portelli, who was the second speaker in the council meeting, expressed her total support to Dr Mifsud Bonnci.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici was a person of integrity who was giving sterling service to the country, Dr Portelli said to a standing ovation by the councillors.
She also thanked Malta's permanent representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, who also faces a censure motion. Mr Cachia Caruana deserved the nation's praise for his work to ensure that Malta got the best out of EU membership, she said.
MP Jean-Pierre Farrugia said some people thought Carm Mifsud Bonnici was in parliament on the strength of his father's reputation, yet he had proved himself to be a minister who was always well prepared and did his duty for his country.
Today's proceedings were opened by MP Robert Arrigo who observed that many people still remembered his remark about the government having 'a slow puncture'. Yet, he said, the government was still driving towards an election in its proper time, and not when somebody else wanted it to be held.
Mr Arrigo, a keen football enthusiast, said the reds won several matches but ultimately it was the blues who triumphed (a reference to Manchester City, Chelsea and Napoli). That could be the same for the PN too if everyone worked hard and heeded the people.
He said that the people should not vote for change just for the sake of change, but only if they thought matters would improve. There was nothing to show that under Labour things would get better. The indications were to the contrary.
David Casa MEP underlined the importance of loyalty to the party and its leader, recalling how loyalty was one things which Prof Guido de Marco had stressed to him at their last meeting shortly before he passed away. He was saying this, Mr Casa said, not just because of the censure motion against Dr Mifsud Bonnici "who will remain our minister". He was hopeful that common sense would prevail in parliament.