Former Labour Party MEP, Joseph Cuschieri had promised Joseph Muscat his parliamentary seat before the PL leadership race started off in 2008. Cuschieri, who is currently serving as Ambassador in Greece, took to Facebook to remind the newly elected PN leader Adrian Delia, who is struggling to find a vacant seat in Parliament, that he and Joseph Muscat had shaken hands before the PL race had even started.

"Joseph Muscat and I had decided on the parliamentary seat in five minutes," he wrote.

Cuschieri said that he promised Muscat his seat with no conditions and before throwing his name into the leadership race. According to Cuschieri Muscat had told him he would not announce his leadership bid without reassuring a seat in parliament.

"In the interest of the party, you can go and announce your intentions immediately. This is what I told Joseph Muscat," Cuschieri added.

When interviewed on Indepth, the new PN leader had said that Joseph Muscat had the luxury of three months to find an MP willing to give up his parliamentary seat. He also said that the process has intensified in recent days. Various reports in the Malta Independent  said  that at least five individuals who were approached by the Delia team, were not willing to give up their seat to the new leader.

Delia might be finding it difficult to acquire a parliamentary seat, but was much confident that this would be an easy task during the twelve week PN leadership campaign. When asked by journalists on this same matter, Delia had said "I can assure the party members that finding a parliamentary seat will not be an issue. I can promise you that if I get elected leader, I will manage to find a parliamentary seat." When pressed to state the name of the sitting MP who would be willing to bow out, Delia simply added that the solution is already found.

A number of MPs who were elected through a casual election have turned their back to the leader's request. Reports have read that Maria Deguara, Ivan Bartolo, Karol Aquilina, Jason Azzopardi and David Stellini are such MPs who have said no. Earlier this week the Partit Demokartiku leader Marlene Farrugia had also has already stated that her party will not be giving up a parliamentary seat for Delia and she instead offered him her kitchen chair.

Earlier this week this newsroom contacted PN MP Frederick Azzopardi who said that he has not been contacted by anyone on PN Leader Adrian Delia's team, nor from anyone within the party structures to give up his parliamentary seat, despite rumours that he might have been approached to make way.

This newsroom asked the MP if he would be willing to give up his seat for Delia. "During the election, I spoke with all four candidates and at no time did this subject arise. Till today, nobody has spoken to me on this subject. I wasn't contacted by anyone, neither the party nor Adrian Delia."