Prime Minister used Caruana Galizia allegations to inform Siggiewi mayor that his intention to run for John Dalli’s seat was ‘inopportune’
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi himself was the person who last Tuesday personally told the PN’s Siggiewi mayor Robert Musumeci that the allegations made about his partner Consuelo Scerri Herrera, the magistrate, by Malta Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia had rendered him unsuitable to stand for a casual election.
The allegations concern the private lives of various individuals, journalists and politicians from both sides of the political divide, who featured in photos posted on Facebook of Scerri Herrera’s birthday party.
But it emerges clearly now that Lawrence Gonzi’s stated position only came about after the blistering campaign of allegations by Caruana Galizia on Musumeci and Scerri Herrera, on her personal blog.
Yesterday Caruana Galizia was interrogated at the Police headquarters in Floriana after Scerri Herrera filed a police report to take criminal libel steps against the columnist.
Scerri Herrera is claiming the allegations made in her regard vilified her, and the charges – if police proceed on them – can lead to a term of imprisonment if proved.
In the meantime, a number of Nationalist backbenchers have protested with party officials and the Prime Minister over his stand on Musumeci, who is expected to stand for the casual election for the seat vacated by outgoing minister John Dalli.
Musumeci himself has been approached by senior Cabinet ministers not to give in to the PM’s pressure and to put his name forward for the bye-election.
Musumeci has also privately stated that he will stand, but he said yesterday that he would comment at an opportune moment.
Musumeci will face Peter Micallef, a popular doctor who is also a PN councillor for Zebbug and who was already touted for Dalli’s seat.
Micallef yesterday confirmed he will contest in the casual election, where party sources already knew he was guaranteed to replace Dalli, whose Qormi constituency will likely shift most of its second-preference votes to Micallef.
Musumeci himself has received encouragement from fellow backbenchers to go ahead with the casual election.
“This issue is all about democracy,” one senior MP told MaltaToday. “The Prime Minister was foolishly advised to communicate this message to Musumeci, when Musumeci did not even have a sporting chance to get elected in the first place. It is wrong for the PM to have ridden over the defamatory statements that were made.”
Musemeci himself has attracted his fair share of controversy. As an architect having backed controversial developments – such as the Bahrija villa of former PN president Victor Scerri, and a block of Lija flats in which Scerri Herrera had an interest – Musumeci has earned himself a great deal of criticism by the green lobby.
The furore surrounding Musumeci has seen rumour being made of a possible co-option to parliament for the Nationalists.
The Labour press on Friday speculated that former PN secretary-general Joe Saliba would be co-opted to parliament, a choice that would surely lead to more unhappiness with many PN backbenchers, even though he would be a worthwhile ally for Gonzi.
This co-option remains highly unlikely, more so because of Saliba’s present business consultancies with many leading speculators and developers.
On the other hand, the hypothetical election of Musumeci would have added more problems to Lawrence Gonzi. His decision to rid himself of John Dalli by appointing him to European Commissiner, and Speaker Louis Galea with a post in the European Court of Auditors, will do little to solve the problems with many of his errant backbenchers, many of whom publicly expressed their dissent with many of Gonzi’s decisions.
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
Search:
MALTATODAY
BUSINESSTODAY
Download MaltaToday Sunday issue front page in pdf file format
