Simon Busuttil’s “surreal” declarations in parliament showed that he holds no regard for the judicial system or for rule of law in the country, members of the Labour Party said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference following Busuttil’s declarations in Parliament on Tuesday evening, where he said that he and thousands of others still believe that Egrant belongs to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, government whip Byron Camilleri and MP Edward Zammit Lewis both took aim at Busuttil, saying that his insistence in continuing to propagate “the biggest lie in Malta’s political history” was undermining the country’s rule of law and judicial system.

Camilleri said that Busuttil had said that he had faith in the magisterial inquiry that was being carried out to investigate the Egrant claims, but now that the results hadn’t come out as he wished them to be, he was undermining the very same inquiry that he had said he had faith in.

Camilleri also pointed out that Busuttil’s declarations were not said in the heat of the moment, saying that Busuttil had posted these same declarations on social media as well.

Zammit Lewis meanwhile described Busuttil as being “politically irrelevant”, and said that “scenes” such as Tuesday’s were taking time away from discussing things and policies which were actually important for the country. He said that members of the party never had any doubt in Joseph Muscat, even before the magisterial inquiry was called.  Zammit Lewis also reminded that it was Muscat himself who called the inquiry, saying that this is what happens “in a country in which rule of law reigns”.

Labour question Delia: who is actually running the PN?

The focus then turned onto current Opposition leader Adrian Delia, with Camilleri and Zammit Lewis posing a number of questions to Delia following yesterday’s plenary session.

Zammit Lewis questioned whether Delia was now agreeing with Busuttil’s declaration, and whether he still thinks that Busuttil is causing a loss of credibility within the party.  He also asked whether Delia thought that Busuttil should shoulder political responsibility, before finally asking whether Delia believed that Egrant belongs to the Prime Minister.

A video chronicling Delia’s reaction to the publication of the conclusions of the Egrant report was also shown, wherein Delia was seen saying that Busuttil had to shoulder responsibility.

Camilleri meanwhile similarly questioned Delia, saying that he has to show whether he is going to stay tied to Simon Busuttil’s politics, or whether he is finally going to start implementing his “New Way” philosophy.  Camilleri said that this was the moment which would prove whether it was really Adrian Delia leading the PN, or Simon Busuttil.