In a bizarre press conference addressed by Malta Council for Science and Technology Chairman Jeffery Pullicino Orlando and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo on how the Nationalist Party is trying to bring in ‘libertarian’ (ultra-liberal) candidates, it was revealed that the former has been asked to contest the next general election under the Labour Party.

MCST Chairman said that he has been asked “in a credible way”, and that for the time being he is not thinking about it.

Dr Pullicino Orlando and Mr Bartolo began the press conference by discussing how the successful divorce campaign brought on a new wave of liberalism within Maltese society, and that this change was a wake-up call for the ultra conservative PN core base.

Former PN MP Dr Pullicino Orlando and then Labour party MP Evarist Bartolo had teamed up in 2011 to cosign a private members' bill to introduce divorce. This resulted in a national referendum that introduced divorce into Maltese law. 

Mr Bartolo identified how the Church and the PN embarked on an aggressive campaign against divorce, but maintained that he has always believed that everybody has the right to their opinion.

He praised Maltese bishops for a new set of guidelines that urge to offer assistance to couples whose marriage has broken down, and have not excluded that separated and divorced couples could be allowed to participate in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

The press conference took a strange turn when Mr Pullicino Orlando began discussing PN tactics to widen its voter base by bringing in libertarian candidates, such as Salvu Mallia who he remarked as being on the verge of anarchic, to respond to changes within local society. He went on to say that this is being done with the scope of removing ultra conservatives within the opposition, as can be illustrated, according to him, by “PN spokesperson’s Daphne Caruana Galizia’s” attacks on PN deputy leader Mario De Marco. He is referring to recent critiques made by blogger and The Malta Independent columnist Mrs Caruana Galizia, who is not an official spokesperson for the PN, on Dr De Marco being away from the public sphere due to health reasons.

Dr Pullicino Orlando said that after he broke ties with the PN, Dr Busuttil approached him, saying that he wished to see him back within the party.

“I said no, it is my personal opinion that the modus operandus (within the PN) is still active,” Dr Pullicino Orlando said.

He added that the approach taken by former PN prime minister Lawrence Gonzi is very different to the one taken by Dr Busuttil today.

“The leader of a party would want to see their party get elected. Simon Busuttil is trying to widen his electoral base which goes beyond the beliefs of the PN hardcore voters. The PN has gone above and beyond their core base because now they are trying to bring in libertarian persons. Take a look at Salvu Mallia, who is in favour of abortion. I am personally against it and believe that absolute majority in Malta are also against it,” Dr Pullicino Orlando said.

When asked, more than once, what the objective behind the press conference was, neither Dr Pullicino Orlando nor Mr Bartolo were capable of giving a straightforward reply.

For example, when the press asked Dr Pullicino Orlando the aim behind the press conference, he said that “we do not appreciate how we take for granted changing society,” and then went on to speak about gay politicians and how under the previous PN administration having a gay politician on the ticket was viewed unfavourably. He then repeated how he has great respect for Dr De Marco and condemns attacks against him.

When Mr Bartolo was asked about whether this conference was called to deviate from the current scandal he is embroiled in related to the Foundation for Tomorrow’s Schools, he was quick to mention the number of activities within the education sector, such as EU presidency sessions, asking if those to were conducted as a distraction tactic. He called the allegations against him a “dishonest” attack and said he would answer all questions in court following the libel proceedings he instituted against the Times of Malta. 

PN statement

In response to this morning's press conference, the Nationalist Party issued a particularly curt statement that includes just one line: "pathetic".