The Partit Nazzjonalista called on the Government to clearly explain why Alison Bezzina's contract as Animal Welfare Commissioner was not renewed.

It is unacceptable that Alison Bezzina was informed that her contract would not be renewed only one week before it expired, and without being given any explanation, the PN said Saturday.

While appealing to the Government to state clearly and unequivocally what led to her removal, the PN said it firmly believed that any individual in any position should always be allowed to work freely, without any interference, especially political interference.

It is certainly never acceptable for an employee, in any post or role, to feel threatened that if they perform their job properly, this could be used against them, and they could even end up being dismissed simply for fulfilling their duties. The PN said it believes in meritocracy, and therefore that any position should be given solely to those who truly deserve it, and not on the basis of anything else.

In light of this, the PN agrees with the proposal being made for this position to truly be an independent one. "We agree that whoever occupies such a role should answer to Parliament, and not directly to a Minister, to ensure that the Commissioner can work with full autonomy, free from any political interference," the PN said.

While expressing our solidarity with Alison Bezzina, and thanking her for the service she has given, the PN said it cannot fail to express its disappointment at the way matters unfolded. We also extend our best wishes to Fleur Abela - the newly appointed Commissioner - and hope that she carries out valuable work in this sector, the PN said.