Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1310107
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 NOVEMBER 2020 NEWS Why Abela does not congratulate Metsola Short of petty-mindedness and obtusity, what stops the Prime Minister from congratulating Roberta Metsola after being elected First Vice President of the European Parliament last week? asks James Debono ROBERT Abela's inability to rise above the partisan divide by con- gratulating Roberta Metsola on her appointment as first Vice President of the European Parliament re- mains inexplicable. But it certainly made the headlines this week. His steadfastness however con- trasted with Labour's inclusive pitch when led by Joseph Muscat, as was the case when it supported the confirmation of Tonio Borg for European Commissioner be- fore the 2013 election. Yet Abe- la continues to snub Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola, justify- ing his failure to offer congrat- ulations for her appointment by citing differences on the golden passport scheme. Metsola imme- diately reacted, describing Abela as "too weak, too insecure and too blinkered." But what has stopped Abela from congratulating her while still flagging disagreements? Abela is keen on not giving any ground to a PN faction which in the psyche of Labour's grassroots is associated with the Caruana Galizia legacy One consistent trait in Robert Abela has been his open hostility to the PN faction associated with former PN leader Simon Busut- til, particularly towards the two MEPs constantly derided in La- bour media for "working against Malta" – both Casa and Metsola actively participated in MEP dele- gations which expressed a damn- ing judgement on the culture of impunity that characterised the Muscat government response to Panamagate and the assassina- tion of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Significantly, Abela – who is distancing himself from this as- pect of Muscat's government – has not singled out Metsola for her stance on rule of law issues but for her stance on the IIP, which although dubious from an ethical standpoint, is a major generator of revenue for the na- tion's coffers and to charities like Puttinu Cares; but also one that exposes a dependency of welfare services on the sale of passports to oligarchs. By hitting at Metsola, Abela is keen on driving a wedge between rival PN factions. Just weeks ago in his budget speech, Abe- la warned Grech that Metsola could do to him what he did to Delia. Yet within the PN, Metso- la, who kept a low profile in the PN's internal battles, enjoys wide support. Her focus on European affairs where she comes across