Long-standing “stalwarts” are mediating in a bid to avoid a split within the Nationalist Party as internal unrest grows in the wake of the findings of the Egrant inquiry, the Times of Malta has learnt.
Party sources said that foremost among the party exponents involved in the mediation attempts were MEP Francis Zammit Dimech and former deputy leader Tonio Borg. They had the blessing of PN leader Adrian Delia to try to broker a deal, the sources added. Former prime minister and party leader Lawrence Gonzi is also known to have offered his help.
“The stalwarts enjoy the respect of ‘both sides’ of the party, especially because they are long-time members, including during the Nationalist Party’s heyday,” the sources noted.
The unrest was sparked off by Dr Delia’s call on his predecessor, Simon Busuttil, to “suspend himself” from the PN parliamentary group after Magistrate Aaron Bugeja found no documentation linking the Prime Minister’s wife to Panama company Egrant.
Dr Busuttil repeated the allegation, first made by slain blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, during the last electoral campaign.
I am very saddened about the present state of affairs within the party and will keep trying to do my best to ensure a reconciliation and to make our party strong again
The call for suspension, unanimously endorsed by the administrative council, made up of a selected group of representatives from the party’s various structures, prompted fierce objections from members of the parliamentary group. At the time of writing, at least 13 Nationalist MPs, former party officials and a significant number of activists were openly against Dr Delia’s decision, giving rise to fears the party could result in a split.
Contacted, Dr Zammit Dimech said he met Dr Delia at the party headquarters in Pietà on Monday. “I offered to act as mediator, even suggesting an honourable way forward for all,” he added.
“I am very saddened about the present state of affairs within the party and will keep trying to do my best to ensure a reconciliation and to make our party strong again,” Dr Zammit Dimech remarked.
Declining to give details about the ‘compromise’ on the table, he confirmed he was given the go-ahead by the PN leader to carry on with the talks. Admitting that he was part of a team, Dr Zammit Dimech would not name the other mediators.
Efforts to contact both Dr Borg and Dr Gonzi proved futile. Gozitan MP Chris Said, a former PN general secretary, also offered to mediate.
Dr Said warned on Tuesday that the party should not “fall into the trap” of allowing others to cause a split.