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Kurt Sansone
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday did not deny that the Nationalist Party supported the Iva movement financially and led journalists to believe that what l-orizzont published about the alleged financial support Iva received from the PN prior to the referendum, was correct.
Asked by a One News journalist to comment on the l-orizzont story Gonzi said: “The Iva movement played an important role in securing membership. We assisted the Iva movement with every means possible.”
Gonzi’s statement contradicts the outright denial of former Iva functionary David Casa, who had told MaltaToday on 9 May this year that the pro-EU movement was not financed by the PN.
In an interview with this newspaper, Casa denied that the PN channelled thousands of liri to the movement. “No, not from the PN,” he answered to a direct question on whether thousands were channelled from the PN to the movement. Casa also said that the remaining funds of the movement were still in a bank account and were to be distributed to a children’s institution.
l-orizzont yesterday alleged that former Iva activists were questioning what happened to the funds of the movement. The newspaper also alleged that the PN had channelled funds into the Iva movement even though it was supposed to be an organisation independent of any political party.
Limits on question time
But yesterday’s usual PN press conference was also characterised by new measures to limit the number of questions asked by journalists. Before the start of the press conference journalists were informed that they were to ask only two questions because of time constraints. However, after the PN speakers concluded their speeches, Secretary General Joe Saliba turned to journalists and invited them to ask just one question.
One News journalist Julia Farrugia had to face the flack from Joe Saliba for asking three questions even though she was simply doing her job. In a strange twist of logic she was also criticised by Saliba for doing an Alfred Sant, who had turned a referendum loss into victory.
But the flare up with the Super One journalist did not end there. When the press conference was over, the Super One cameraman was asked to switch off his camera. He complied by pulling out the battery, but not content with the move, PN officials accosted the One News team and accused them of unethical behaviour. PN Information Officer Gordon Pisani went as far as reminding the journalist and cameraman that they were guests at the PN headquarters.
Feeling good
During the press conference Lawrence Gonzi tried to fan the feel good factor by quoting a series of positive indicators. He stressed the importance of voting for PN candidates because they would form part of the European Parliament’s largest political group. Gonzi also painstakingly tried to explain how the Parliament worked when a The Times journalist confronted him with the fact that the European People’s Party did not enjoy an absolute majority in the EP.
Gonzi said government would be ready to apply the safeguard clause if the monitoring of imported goods reveals that the market is being flooded to the detriment of domestic producers.
Asked by MaltaToday to say what would constitute a victory for the PN come 12 June, Gonzi did not answer. With all the electorate going out to vote every party can have its popular support measured accurately irrespective of the number of seats obtained. But Gonzi simply said a victory would be one where the national interest won.
During the press conference Gonzi repeated that government’s work was not conditioned by the electoral appointment. Referring to the World Bank Report on pensions, made public this week by Alfred Sant, Gonzi criticised the Labour leader and accused him of publishing the report to gain political mileage.
kurt@newsworksltd.com
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