Minister for Justice Edward Zammit Lewis and PL Whip Glenn Bedingfield walked out of the Standards Committee meeting on Tuesday, saying that they won't discuss a report based on a complaint signed by Karol Aquilina's brother in name of Repubblika, Robert Aquilina.

The committee was supposed to discuss and pass judgement on a report produced by The Commissioner for Standards in Public Life George Hzyzler, The issue meant to be discussed was the Commissioner's findings over a report regarding advertisements for Minister Carmelo Abela in local media.

PL Whip Glenn Bedingfield and Minister for Justice Edward Zammit Louis said that Karol Aquilina should not be part of the sitting, as the complaint that had been made to the Comissioner was signed by PN MP Karol Aquilina's brother, Robert Aquilina of Repubblika. 

The PL Minister and Whip argued that there could be a conflict of interest. "I am not comfortable discussing a report that was signed by the brother MP Karol Aquilina who is sitting on this committee," Bedingfield argued.

Aquilina and Comodini Cachia, argued that they see no conflict of interest in passing judgement, as Karol Aquilina had not spoken to his brother about the report. 

However, Minister Zammit Lewis and Bedingfield walked out, with the latter arguing that they would like it to proceed, but want Aquilina to be replaced with another PN MP.

The five-person committee discussing the Standards Commissioner report is made up of Minister for Justice Edward Zammit Louis and Whip Glenn Bedingfield for the PL, and MPs Karol Aquilina and Therese Comodini Cachia for the PN, with speaker Anglu Farrugia presiding over the committee.

PN responds

The PN, in a statement argued that the PL MPs abdicated from their responsibility as members of the committee, when it was going to vote on the publication of the Standard Commissioner’s report. “The report is about the abuse of thousands of euros in public funds for adverts.”

“At the same time, PN MP Karol Aquilina said that he has no conflict of interest since the committee was going to discuss a report from the Standards Commissioner.”

After the meeting ended, regardless of there not being an interest, Aquilina has asked the PN Whip to temporarily substitute him in order for the committee to continue its work, the PN said.

The PN called for an urgent meeting of the committee to be called tomorrow, to vote on the PN’s motion for the report to be published.