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Karl Schembri
Net TV journalist Karl Stagno-Navarra has been politely kicked out of the Nationalist Party’s list of candidates for June’s European Parliament election, MaltaToday has learned.
The classy journalist with an unmistakable flare for all things Italian has been telling supporters of his impending European parliament nomination, that the party did not want him to contest in the first place. He is also seriously considering leaving the party media for another job.
Stagno-Navarra was one of the first individuals to express his interest in contesting the EP election on the PN list, but the party leadership was determined to hand-pick its own nominees.
“Although I expressed my interest in contesting the EP election, I have now decided that I will leave the contest to other candidates, knowing that the list proposed by the PN is expected not to exceed eight candidates,” he said when contacted yesterday.
“I understand that during these last few weeks the party has been assessing a very long list of nominees and there are others like me who believe that, confronted with potential high-powered names, it would not be prudent to engage in the contest at this time.”
The PN’s top echelons were busy head-hunting individuals for the EP list during the last weeks. PN Secretary General Joe Saliba asked former IVA chief Joanna Drake, favouring her over David Casa, and Philosophy Professor Joe Friggieri. Former MIC head Simon Busuttil was approached by Eddie Fenech Adami himself in his last days as Prime Minister.
“A wise man told me that when the party wants you, you don’t want it, and when you want it, it doesn’t want you,” Stagno-Navarra said.
Asked whether he felt uncomfortable within the party in the wake of the leadership contest, in which he was known to have backed John Dalli, he replied: “I was asked by John Dalli to interview him when the party submitted the list of internal journalists.
“He chose me and I felt duty-bound to help him on the party media because the party made it clear it was making its journalists available to the leadership candidates. I did it disinterestedly.
“The interview and a programme on John Dalli prepared by myself generated many remarks within the party about my position, also in view of the fact that I am married to a relative of the Prime Minister. I always replied that I remain loyal to whoever won the contest.”
Now Stagno-Navarra also declares his days are numbered at Net TV as he will be seeking new pastures outside the media and outside the party, although he will remain a party member.
“Meanwhile I am concentrating all my energies on accepting a proposal for a position which I believe would be the next step in my career, although it has nothing to do with the media,” Stagno-Navarra said. “Should I accept this proposal, I would be calling an end to my media career, but will remain active within the party structures.”
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