PN leader Bernard Grech has warned that he will kick people out of the party if necessary, as he warned against any further “theatrics” by MPs on Facebook.
Grech was fielding questions from journalists outside the PN’s headquarters, minutes after a joint statement between former leader Adrian Delia and party MP Jason Azzopardi was published as a resolution to the feud between the two, after yet another spat on social media earlier this week.
Asked by The Malta Independent what the consequences would be if, despite what is now in writing and supposedly resolved, had to rear its head again like it did this week, Grech said that he will take all the necessary decisions – which may include kicking people out of the party.
“I will take all the necessary decisions; including calling an executive meeting and kicking out anyone who should be kicked out. The time for going on Facebook to do these theatrics is over”, Grech warned.
“This is a serious party with serious MPs and serious candidates. We will move forward, and where it is necessary, I will take the decisions which need to be taken”, Grech said.
Asked what the point of calling an executive meeting was only to then publish a joint statement from the two concerned, Grech said that he is determined to strengthening the party and is ready to take any necessary decision for the party.
“I have no problem being hard with those whom I need to be hard with”, he said.
“The feud between Jason Azzopardi and Adrian Delia, today it is black on white that it is resolved, so we didn’t need the meeting to take place”, Grech told journalists.
Asked about the notion that Grech had won his leadership role in part due to Azzopardi’s allegations against Delia, Grech said that he had taken his decisions on his own steam and merit and that nobody was pulling his string.
Asked what he had done on the allegations that Azzopardi put forward against Delia, Grech said that the question between the two has been resolved.
“We are in politics to work and to fight corruption, and today’s declaration is clear”, he said.
He said that it is clear that the two are ready to work together for the benefits and interests of the Nationalist Party.
The way forward, he said, is that people have to understand that they have to come together – despite whatever side they side with – to fight one common enemy, which is the corruption and the bare-faced theft being carried out by the Labour government.
Video: Miguela Xuereb, Newsbook