NEWS | Wednesday, 11 March 2009

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Julia Farrugia
There has been no answer so far from Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi as to whether he has accepted recommendations by the Electoral Commission to bring 130 athletes from the Small Nations Games in Cyprus to Malta to vote in June for the European Parliamentary elections.
Sister newspaper Illum revealed on Sunday the contents of a letter Gonzi received from the Electoral Commission, suggesting that the government provides air transport for the Maltese contingent on Friday night or Saturday, to be able to vote early Saturday morning on 6 June before polling booths close.
But until now, Nationalist secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier has always pushed the idea of amending the electoral law to allow any eligible voter who can prove they will be away on the election date, to be able to cast their vote one week before.
The amendment would be a first in the context of Maltese elections.
The PN’s suggestion came in response to a Labour proposal to fly a ballot box on Saturday morning of the 6 June to Cyprus, where Maltese athletes can vote inside their sports camp.
Assessing all scenarios, the Electoral Commission’s proposal is by far the priciest.
It is calculated that four flights to Cyprus, including airport charges and fuel, will easily run into thousands of euros paid from the public coffers.
But if Gonzi accepts the Commission’s proposal, it would also be yet another blow for Borg Olivier. Since the Commission’s recommendations were approved unanimously, then so did the PN nominated members on its board approve the proposals, going against Borg Olivier’s idea.
Serving on the Commission’s board is a chairperson, four PN representatives and four PL representatives.
It is now up to Gonzi to decide whether to accept or not the Commission’s proposal.
Questions sent by MaltaToday to the Office of the Prime Minister, asking whether Gonzi had answered the Commission’s letter, remained unanswered by the time of going to print.

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