Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1190498
KARL AZZOPARDI THE Nationalist Party yester- day presented 15 proposals aimed at promoting good gov- ernance PN leader Adrian Delia said yesterday that the party must start working towards lifting the country from the political crisis it finds itself in. Delia emphasized that pri- ority will be given to have the anti-corruption commission assume investigative powers to prosecute cases in court, and to immediately stop the sale of Maltese citizenship under the Individual Investor Programme. Delia also said the PN wants to have independent media houses provide news bulletins on tel- evision, so as to guarantee the independence of the national broadcaster from the govern- ment of the day. He said the national broad- caster would also be independ- ent from the State, and that par- ties should be financed by the State so as to remove all con- flicts of interest from private financing. Delia also said MPs should become full-time professionals and not be employed with the State, as well as being given all the necessary resources to func- tion to the same levels as in the rest of Europe. The PN also wants four sit- ting judges selected by the ju- diciary to form the committee for the selection of judges and magistrates, together with the Ombudsman, Auditor Gen- eral, and the Commissioner for Public Standards, who will issue calls for vacancies and where it will be the Cabinet to decide from three nominations for each vacancy. The 15 proposals build on a previous set of proposals of good governance presented by former PN leader Simon Busu- till in 2014. Delia said that the National- ist Party is looking beyond the situation the country finds it- self in right now, and analys- ing the factors that have led to such wide-spread corruption in the country's highest offices. "We need to carry out a series of measures and operations with which we can eliminate the root of the sickness our political cli- mate has," Delia stated. The proposals also suggest the strengthening of civil society, transparency in the workings and committees of the country. "Positions of trust must only be awarded where it is absolutely necessary," Delia said. Delia warned against the re- percussions the current politi- cal crisis might have on society and its different sectors, and stated that the PN will always be there to help. "We believe in the majority of workers and businessman, we know many of you are clean of corruption, and we urge to not lose faith," Delia stated. Delia concluded by stating that the proposals will be pre- sented in parliament, with the hope of initiating a dialogue to- wards the national interest. "We want to discuss with public, the civil society, the unions, the po- litical parties, the church and everyone who has the national interest at heart," Delia said. The PN leader also said that the country can only start lift- ing itself from the crisis it finds itself in by achieving true justice for the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination and the immedi- ate removal of anyone involved in corruption. "We will contin- ue to watch over this process, and ensure that everyone gets the justice they truly deserve," Delia stated. The Opposition leader once again called for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. 5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 DECEMBER 2019 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 MP Claudio Grech said the party had to take a stand in this crucial hour, and that people expected the PN to act. This was also echoed by for- mer deputy leaders De Marco and Fenech Adami, who ques- tioned Delia's approach and complained that the leader was leaving no impact – a percep- tion confirmed by today's Mal- taToday survey, which sees the PN's prospective vote increase support by a mere one percent- age point. In the party leader's defence, PN secretary-general Clyde Puli suggested that the party should first appear united and that everyone had to publicly appear together with Delia – a reference to the obvious inter- nal split, where MPs loyal to former leader Simon Busuttil are never to be seen close to Delia during such manifesta- tions. Delia also suffers from a lack of trust among PN voters loyal to Busuttil, who in 2017 had suggested that Delia retire from the PN leadership race when Daphne Caruana Galizia revealed that the lawyer rep- resented the Maltese owner of London properties used as brothels. A senior MP who was at the meeting complained that time was quickly running out for the PN now midway through the legislature. "We cannot go on like this. With all Delia's good intentions he cannot win us an election. We should be at the forefront of these protests. There is a resistance to bridge out to the protestors. This can- not go on forever. Delia and Puli are simply in denial and cannot see their formula has failed." By Matthew Vella MPs confront Delia over 'failed formula' Delia calls for state financing of parties, free PBS from state control Opposition leader Adrian Delia