The Labour Party has lashed out against Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, saying that Dr Busuttil does not want Ministers and MPs to represent Malta abroad on official business when there is Parliament.

"This is the same Opposition Leader who appointed two MEPs as shadow ministers who are never in Parliament".

The PL was referring to the debate held last night in Parliament, where Dr Busuttil said he agreed with fines for MPs who do not attend Parliament, yet could not understand why votes will only be on a Wednesday. "Ministers will be exempt from the fine, and so it doesn't apply for them. The amendment means that when Ministers are abroad they are exempt. They are abroad often. So on one side we have a fine for MPs, and on the other when a quorum is called, more time will be given for government to gather its members. Isn't this government laughing in the peoples faces?".

The PL argue that: "if we were to follow what Dr Busuttil wants, then we would not be able to represent Malta in a number of important EU meetings". The PL argued that Dr Busuttil is forgetting the importance of a country being represented at the highest level meetings.

In response, the PN said that Dr Busuttil repeatedly appealed to the Prime Minister for agreement to be found on the cardinal points of the proposed Standing Orders amendments in order for Parliament to truly be the voice of the people. Dr Busuttil recommended that Prime Minister’s Question Time be allocated once per week, and that a debate on Opposition motions be scheduled for once every two weeks. “On both issues, Dr Muscat kept banging his feet and refusing”.

“This shows Dr Muscat fears Dr Busuttil in Parliament, the same way he feared facing him on Xarabank for two straight years”.

 

“Again, Dr Muscat has shown that he is not capable of reaching agreement and is solely focused on confrontation”.