Victoria mayor Samuel Azzopardi yesterday stepped down from his post after he refused to take a breathalyser test following a car accident last Sunday.

In a statement announcing his resignation, PN secretary general Rosette Thake said that the PN accepted Dr Azzopardi’s resignation and lauded his decision as a sign of political correctness in line with the new way of politics being set by PN leader Simon Busuttil.

In his resignation letter, published by the PN, Dr Azzopardi explained that following a car accident last Sunday, he refused to take a breathalyser test and is thus expected to face court charges. “I did not take the test as I was in a state of shock and at that moment I did not understand the ramifications of my refusal,” he admitted in his letter.

Dr Azzopardi said that since he was a public person involved in politics he understood that his actions should be scrutinised by the public and that was why he decided to tender his resignation as mayor.

He said that for the time being, he also suspended himself from the Nationalist Party but would be keeping his councillor seat as an independent.

Thanking Dr Azzopardi, the PN secretary general said that Dr Azzopardi set an example of political correctness and did what others “don’t have the courage to do for much more”.

Dr Azzopardi has been the mayor of Victoria since 2009. He also unsuccessfully contested the 2013 general elections on behalf of the PN.

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