Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1269236
3 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 15 JULY 2020 NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "The PN executive is a political forum and so it is a place where everyone should be allowed to ex- press themselves. It is difficult to weigh everyone's sentiments, but I hope that everyone puts at the fore- front the interests of the party." Despite acknowledging that his leadership would be debated at the meeting, Delia said he was hopeful that the discussion would still focus on party affairs. "The executive meeting tonight was initially planned to discuss par- ty structures made vacant by the statute reform," he said. Asked whether he would be for- warding a censorship motion against the MPs who expressed dis- trust in his leadership, Delia played down the question. "The discussion tonight should be centred around what is happening politically in our country, so that the PN can adapt itself better." The meeting was still underway by the time we went to print. MP Hermann Schiavone, who used to support Delia's leadership, but voted against him in the confi- dence vote forwarded by the group of dissenting MPs, insisted the country needs a strong opposition. "My biggest loyalty is to the par- ty, and the party for a number of reasons, which might not always be Delia's fault, is always doing worse in the polls," he said. Schiavone also agreed that a lead- ership contest should be called. Therese Comodini Cachia, who has been chosen by the dissenting MPs as an interim opposition lead- er called for unity in the party. "I have only one reaction, the PN has always sought unity, and will continue to do so," she said. She did not answer questions on whether MPs who had voted against Delia's leadership would be taking constitutional action against the president's decision. Executive member Andre Grech, who had called for action to be taken against MPs who backed a new Opposition leader, said that democracy and dialogue should be prioritised by the PN. "One cannot accept that a small group of people take the decision in their hands. The PN is the mem- bers' and all the Nationalists'," Grech said. He also insisted that Adrian Delia is capable of contesting and win- ning elections. Speaking on the national broad- caster on Monday, Delia said he would be changing the portfolios shadowed by the MPs who moved a vote of no-confidence against him. He also said he lost trust in those people who have repudiated him "once, twice, three times." "When someone's actions evi- dently try to weaken your party leader, your party... At a time when I am fighting on the Vitals conces- sion, they should have been on my side," he said. Former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is also in attendance to to- night's meeting. Earlier today, he told the media that he would support any con- structive proposal to resolve the crisis within the PN. He said he would, however, op- pose any proposal aimed at pun- ishing MPs who had exercised their democratic right to oppose Delia. Asked whether he would be call- ing for a leadership race, Gonzi said that he would not be commenting further. Gonzi is entitled to participate in today's meeting because, as a former leader of the party, he is a permanent member of its executive committee. Delia says discussion within PM should focus on party affairs Hermann Schiavone Therese Comodini Cachia FORMER prime minister Lawrence Gonzi attend- ed the PN executive committee meeting last night. Gonzi said that he would support any construc- tion proposal to resolve the crisis within the Na- tionalist Party, triggered after party leader Adri- an Delia lost the confidence of the majority of his MPs. On Monday, President George Vella said that, despite having confirmed that Delia had lost a no confidence vote, he would not be removing him from Opposition leader because he remained the leader of the largest Opposition party in Parlia- ment. The PN's executive met yesterday to discuss a way forward. Gonzi, who was prime minister and PN leader from 2004 to 2013, said that he would be sup- portive of a proposal for an open and fair lead- ership contest. He said he would, however, oppose any propos- al aimed at punishing MPs who had exercised their democratic right to oppose Delia. He insisted that he expected "persons of integ- rity and rectitude" to stand up to be counted at this current crucial juncture. Gonzi is entitled to participate in the executive committee meeting because, as a former leader of the party, he is a permanent member. He said that he would be emphasising the com- mittee's collective duty to solve the current situ- ation as a matter of priority, in the interest of the party and of Malta. Former PN leader Lawrence Gonzi in favour of leadership elections Lawrence Gonzi