The Nationalist Party will today decide on the terms of the coalition agreement with the Democratic Party amid uncertainty on what form of relationship the two sides are willing to forge.
Speculation that the two PD elected candidates would be part of the PN’s shadow cabinet was quelled yesterday when Simon Busuttil published the list of those who would be shadowing ministers.
The mechanics of the coalition agreement will be on the agenda of today’s PN parliamentary group meeting following Wednesday’s casual elections which determined the full list of the party’s 28 MPs.
Marlene Farrugia was yesterday very adamant that her party would retain its identity.
Though the PD has already declared its willingness to be part of a single Opposition parliamentary group, its leader, Marlene Farrugia, was yesterday very adamant that her party would retain its identity.
“The possibility that the PD might integrate within the PN and disband is out of the question,” she told the Times of Malta. “We want to work hand in hand with the PN while safeguarding our own identity,” she added.
Dr Farrugia said the first talks on the way forward were held on Tuesday during an informal meeting with the PN leader but declined to give details.
We want to work hand in hand with the PN while safeguarding our own identity
Asked whether the two elected members of the PD – herself and her partner, Godfrey Farrugia – would be subject to the PN whip, Dr Farrugia said the same model used in the last legislature would apply.
“We are willing to collaborate on the parliamentary agenda and schedule but the PD will not commit itself blindly to take the PN’s stand on each and every issue,” she said.
She was quick to point out that there were no instances when the PN had tried to impose its stand on the PD.
Dr Farrugia said she planned to discuss with the Speaker the PD’s roles on issues such as Council of Europe representation.
“It is one thing sharing these responsibilities with the PN’s parliamentary group and another being treated as a separate entity,” she added.
Asked about today’s PN parliamentary group meeting, Dr Farrugia noted that the PD had not, up to that point in time, been invited.
“Probably, the best way to go about it is to have the PN’s parliamentary group debate the issue on its own and then start the talks with the PD,” she said.
Meanwhile, sources within the PN parliamentary group said that one of the possible solutions was to invite the PD elected members to attend on a case-by-case basis.
“Such meetings, however, would not be within the PN’s structure but under the wings of the Opposition parliamentary group,” they said.
In this manner, the coalition agreement would not fall foul of the PN’s statute that makes no mention of such a scenario.
This evening, the PN group will be deciding on the government’s request to extend the deadline for the approval of the financial estimates of 10 State entities.
Failure to find an agreement will mean that, next week, the House would have to meet up to three times a day to approve the budgets within the June 30 deadline set by law.
At the same time, Nationalist MPs will also have to take a stance on the Gay Marriage Bill.
Though the PN has declared itself in favour, it criticised the government’s rush to enact the law.