Former Nationalist MP Franco Debono was among three people nominated by Opposition Leader Bernard Grech for the post of chairperson of the Broadcasting Authority.

All three – the other two being Maryanne Lauri and Raymond Zammit – were rejected by Prime Minister Robert Abela, who instead chose to renew incumbent Frank Farrugia’s term. Farrugia has chaired the BA since 2019.

Grech had been asked by Abela to put forward a number of names for the post.

In a Facebook post, Debono thanked Grech for having nominated him. He said the nomination came despite his past and present criticism of the Opposition, which shows that the party has understood and learned from what happened in the past and “is looking forward without bearing grudges and axes to grind.”

Debono, who had proposed the removal of criminal libel, called for the strengthening of the journalism and broadcasting sectors. He also noted that the Prime Minister has had talks with the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia over the introduction of an anti-SLAPP law and augured that this would not take long to come into effect.

Debono famously broke ranks with the PN in 2012 when he voted against the budget. He had been barred from contesting the 2013 election on the PN ticket but has recently warmed up to the PN again. Bernard Grech had told journalists that Debono “still has a lot to offer” when asked whether the party was willing to work with the former MP.