The Opposition walked out of Parliament in protest on Wednesday after a call by Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia for a ministerial statement on a European Parliament vote on the rule of law in Malta, was rejected.

Dr Delia said that a month after journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia had been murdered, three weeks after the Opposition tabled a motion for Parliament to debate the rule of law, and a week since the Opposition said it could not accept a business as usual approach, the government had failed to take concrete action on several proposals put forward by the Opposition.

“This is a government that listens but fails to take action,” he said. He said it was unacceptable for the Prime Minister to be travelling abroad selling Maltese passports “on behalf of Henley and Partners” at such a delicate moment for the country.

Government whip Byron Camilleri said that after abandoning Malta in the European Parliament, it was now abandoning Malta in the Maltese Parliament.
Foreign minister Carmelo Abela did not make the requested statement but insisted he had always defended Malta's name, unlike PN MEPs.

The Partit Demokratiku joined the Nationalist Party in its walkout.

Although the two PD MPs were not present when Dr Delia said the PN would be walking out of the House, Godfrey Farrugia entered the House shortly after and informed the Speaker that the PD would be joining the PN's symbolic action.

PL statement

In a statement, the Labour Party said that the Opposition’s behaviour showed that Dr Delia was hostage to the PN establishment led by former PN leader Simon Busuttil.

The PN leader was trying to created issues to make up with a section of his party which wanted him out. If, as he said, he was “here to stay”, he should convince his Parliamentary group to support him and not undermine the country’s institutions.

Although he was saying that because of the situation in Malta business should not continue as usual, everything was continuing as normal within the PN with fund raising campaigns and the elections for the deputy leaders.

In spite of these games, the government remained determined to continue to implement changes for the benefit of Maltese and Gozitan families, the PL said.

PD statement

In another statement, the Partit Demokratiku said that after Prime Minister  failed to attend the debate in the European Parliament on the rule of law in Malta on Tuesday, on Wednesday it failed to make a ministerial statement about the resolution.

The PD believed that such irresponsible behaviour from the Prime Minister and the government was unacceptable so the PD MPs decided not take part in today’s debate in protest.

It was a shame how Malta’s reputation as a democratic European country was being disrespected by the government including with the dismantling by design of institutions that were there to protect the people, it said.

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