In what looks to be a standard reply by all government MPs, those questioned outside Parliament last night by this newspaper were of the opinion that the question of whether Konrad Mizzi should resign or not was a hypothetical one. They also referred to what the Prime Minister said during last Sunday’s Labour Party General Conference.

The only who had anything different to say was veteran Labour MP Charles Mangion.  

In comments to The Malta Independent, Dr Mangion never clearly stated that Minister Konrad Mizzi, who is in the centre of a huge scandal related to offshore companies, should resign. Instead, he referred to what had happened in his respect back in 1998.

In 1998, Charles Mangion was Minister for Justice and Local Councils. He resigned from his post after taking responsibility for requesting a Presidential Pardon for a prisoner convicted of drug charges without the consent of the Cabinet.

“In 1998 I showed what decisions I took. But this decision lies with Konrad Mizzi.”

Pressed to state whether he would resign today if he were in Dr Mizzi’s shoes, Dr Mangion said, “You are making a hypothetical question. I do not have companies in Panama, that is what I can tell you.”

He also explained that if it turns out that Konrad Mizzi is telling the truth, the minister “should stand his ground.”

This latest comment from Dr Mangion contrasts with what the opinion he expressed seven days ago. Speaking on the TVAM discussion programme, the MP had defended Dr Mizzi and insisted that his colleague was telling the truth. The Panama Papers, he said, confirmed the statements made by Dr Mizzi five weeks ago, when the minister gave the relevant papers to journalists.

Other government MPs who were reached for a comment before yesterday’s parliamentary session, avoided a clear answer, with many reiterating what has already been said. 

“I’ll stick to what the Prime Minister has to say and await the results of any investigation,” Anthony Agius Decelis said.

Similarly, contacted early yesterday morning, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said that he was in line with the Prime Minister’s position as announced last Sunday during the Labour Party General Conference. Asked to spell out what his personal opinion was on the matter, the minister insisted that this was his personal opinion.

Ministers Owen Bonnici and Edward Zammit Lewis and Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne have previously told this newsroom in interviews that they put their faith in the Prime Minister’s judgement on the matter.

Parliamentary Secretary Jose’ Herrera, who yesterday told journalist that he was formulating his opinion on the Konrad Mizzi scandal and he will give it at the opportune time, said he is still “formulating his opinion.”

“It’s been only a couple of hours since I gave comments to the media,” he said before entering Parliament.

Meanwhile, this newsroom asked former parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon, who had stepped down in the wake of the Gaffarena scandal, if he feels that the Prime Minister is applying two weights and two measures with him and Konrad Mizzi.

“Nothing bad happened between me and the Prime Minister,” he said. “My loyalty is with the party, the government and, most of all, to the country, unlike others.”

This newsroom had recently revealed how the Labour Party’s parliamentary group is in bitter disagreement over what the government’s next move in the Panamagate scandal should be. Yesterday Education Minister Evarist Bartolo declared that if he were in Dr Mizzi’s shoes, he would take Alfred Sant’s advice – and resign.

Similarly, Government Whip Godfrey Farrugia said that Dr Mizzi should be let go.

Yesterday this newsroom tried to reach every member of Cabinet to garner their views on the matter and on whether they share Bartolo, Sant and Farrugia’s belief. However, our attempt to reach them by telephone proved futile, with the exception of Minister Carmelo Abela.