Former Prime Minister and current MEP Alfred Sant still wants Konrad Mizzi to tender his resignation.

This newsroom asked the former Prime Minister on his views  on Minister Mizzi being appointed as a minister without a portfolio (a title that minister Mizzi has rejected, calling himself a minister within the office of the Prime Minister); whether he agrees with the Prime Minister’s decision; what he would have done differently and whether he sees a contradiction where on the one hand he was kept as a minister, but at the same time was asked to resign from the PL Deputy Leadership post.

Dr Alfred Sant, in response to all these questions, sent the following one line answer: “I have nothing to add to what I’ve already said on the subject you raise”.

In a Facebook post around three weeks ago, Dr Sant said that then Energy and Health Minister Konrad Mizzi should resign. He had said that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat showed admirable prudence and fair play on the issue, and for this he should be supported. “But it is not right that a decision that should be clear and inevitable is placed on the PM's shoulders,” Dr Sant said.

"In his interest, both political and personal, in his family's interest, that of the Labour party and government, as well as the national interest, the decision that should be taken quickly is one to be taken by Konrad Mizzi: and this is to resign. In this way he could safeguard and defend himself”.

Last week, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo expressed his discontent with the situation, saying that Minister Mizzi should have resigned of his own accord.

“Public servants, no matter which side of the divide they’re on, should be responsible enough to leave their roles when they err instead of passing the buck to their leaders to decide their fate.”