The government and the Opposition were at loggerheads on a trip the Prime Minister had scheduled to Tunisia and Qatar next week – trips that were eventually cancelled yesterday in view of the prevailing political crisis.

But this was just the tip of the iceberg, as the issue goes way beyond these visits abroad.

The latest chapter in this political crisis started last Thursday at the House Business Committee meeting where it was said that Dr Lawrence Gonzi was to be away from Malta when Parliament reconvenes after the Christmas recess on Wednesday.

Technically speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Michael Frendo, was correct at the time of saying it when he remarked that it was to be business as usual, once there had been no vote of confidence to discuss – as neither the Prime Minister nor the Opposition Leader had presented one.

Until that time, Dr Joseph Muscat had called on Dr Gonzi to seek a vote that confirms or otherwise whether he still enjoys the support of the House. Dr Gonzi replied that he had no intention of doing it, and it was only yesterday that the Labour Party filed its motion.

Until Thursday, it was to be expected that the government believed it could continue its work unchallenged – both on a local level and in Parliament, and in trips abroad to try to attract more investment to our country. And, as such, the Prime Minister’s trips to Tunisia and Qatar had been planned before the political crisis started. They were only cancelled after the PL presented its motion.

On the other hand, the Opposition claimed that in the prevailing situation the government was going for delaying tactics which can only harm the country, considering that the instability factor is in play. And these delaying tactics will not help the Nationalist Party, especially at a time when there is growing sympathy for a PM who is seen steering the country well in difficult times, but has been unable to keep the peace within his own party.

Following a Cabinet reshuffle, Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono said that he no longer has confidence in Dr Gonzi and that he will no longer back the government. In the past days, the Nationalist Party parliamentary group and later its executive committee have called on Dr Debono to resign his parliamentary seat. If this were to be done, the situation will return to normal.

Both sides have agreed that instability is not ideal for the country, especially at a time when Malta needs to brace itself for a difficult economic year. But the Prime Minister insists that he and his government cannot be blamed on creating this situation, saying that it only happened because one MP was unhappy with decisions he took on ministerial positions.

For its part, the Opposition is seeing a situation which could take the country to an early election and a chance to return to power for the first time since 1998.

Parliament will reconvene on Wednesday and the Opposition is calling for an adjournment to the following day for its motion of no confidence to be discussed.

It looks like we’re in for yet another highly-charged political week.