Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/809226
7 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 De Mar- co said that the only conditions he is aware of is that the PN was adamant that Democratic Party candidates contest the election on the PN ticket. Speaking to MaltaToday, Mar- lene Farrugia confirmed that the PN deputy leaders were never present for meetings held be- tween the two parties. Informal talks kicked off be- tween Farrugia and Busuttil, un- til negotiations were handed over to the PN's administrative coun- cil president Karol Aquilina and Ivan Fsadni, on behalf of the PD's executive committee. "The PN's deputy leaders were never present for any meetings held," Farrugia said, when asked by MaltaToday. She said that the majority of meetings between Busuttil and herself were mostly "informal". Busuttil's unilateral decision to allow Farrugia to stand as a can- didate on the PN ticket, together with other candidates from the fledgling party, has not only been met with consternation among MPs but it has also sent out shockwaves among the party's grassroots. Numerous MPs who spoke to MaltaToday said that they should have at least discussed the matter in the parliamentary group, not learnt of the news through the media. A longstanding MP told Mal- taToday that the Parliamentary Group and candidates were una- ware of what was being discussed between the two parties. "Moreover, this has angered many within the party especially in the districts which Marlene Farrugia might contest," the MP said. MaltaToday understands that Farrugia has set her eyes on the second and fifth electoral dis- tricts. Another MP said "the party has not learnt anything from its past mistakes" as he compared Farru- gia to former MP Franco Debono, who in 2012 brought down Law- rence Gonzi's government by voting with the then Labour op- position in a crucial budget vote. "Farrugia has gone from being a PN candidate to a Labour MP and she is now contesting the election on our list," the MP said, adding that it would not come as a surprise if Farrugia turns against the PN if she is success- fully elected. Another MP told MaltaToday that the vetting process for new candidates had been thrown out of the window. "New candidates need to be vetted before be- ing accepted, what happened to Marlene Farrugia's own vetting?" And yet another MP said that Marlene Farrugia's inclusion in the ballot sheet under the PN meant that most Labourites would not even vote for her. "Her independent candidature would not have got her elected but it would have at least potentially attracted some 400 first count votes, enough to award the PN a second seat in the fifth district." MIRIAM DALLI ALTHOUGH there are five prin- ciples which the Nationalist Party and the Democratic Party (PD) agreed upon, PD leader Marlene Farrugia failed to identify the red lines that would make a PN-PD 'coalition' inadmissible. Farrugia talked of "a written con- tract" between the PN and the PD to honour their agreement but the parties are yet to define a clear programme and trash out the non- negotiable policies of each side. "Terms of reference have been drafted and it's being ironed out," she said, adding that it will be pub- lished once it's finalised. For Farrugia, talk of 'red lines' is very much reminiscent of the male-dominated politics which is "highly confrontational". "Politics dominated by men is about confrontation, where the ego is at the heart of politics. Even talk of the PD being absorbed by the PN reflects this. This is not a war of egos; we are there to serve the national interest," she said, adding that the coalition is the only chance of giving the elector- ate an electable alternative. The agreement between the PN and the PD will see PD candidates running under the PN banner, identified by the nickname "tal-or- angjo" in reference to the fledgling party's colours. Alternattiva Demokratika has been the only third party to regis- ter significant votes during recent general elections – although never enough to get it to parliament. The Green Party's leadership im- mediately distanced itself from the agreement entered into between the other two parties, insisting that this was not the type of 'coalition' it was after. While some – such as former AD chairperson Michael Briguglio – describe the PN-PD's pact as the only way to effectively get small party candidates elected to parlia- ment, others have argued that the PD's absorption by the PN would mean that the Orange Party has al- ready lost its identity. But for the pragmatic Farrugia, the arrangement was the result of out-of-the-box thinking. "Perhaps for AD, a political party means having a name, a statute, members and followers. For me, a political party is a tool in people's hands to ensure that democracy prevails. The current electoral sys- tem doesn't allow me to success- fully run a party on my own. So what can I do to get us to parlia- ment?" She said, that running under the PN banner would increase the cur- rent opposition's chances of being elected to parliament. "There will be at least one PD candidate on every district; people who want to elect the National- ist Party to power, but not with the previous candidates, can now choose from the PD candidates. "The PN remains the biggest op- position party, but it may not be credible enough for some. We are aiding it in its renewal." Insisting that she joined forces with the Nationalist Party out of her love for the country, Farrugia denied having discussed any pre- electoral agreements that would land her an executive role if elect- ed to power. "I am only interested in serving my country and it's the same thing which I told Simon Busuttil each time he asked me anything along those lines," she said, when asked whether she would be deputy prime minister or hold a ministe- rial role if the PN is elected to gov- ernment. She argued, that the more peo- ple support the PD's position, the more it can leave its "imprint" in the common electoral manifesto between the two parties. The talks have mainly focused on good governance, sustainable economy, social justice, environ- ment and constitutional renewal. Farrugia confirmed that both parties have already agreed that a Nationalist government would launch a constitutional reform during its first two years to ease the efforts of political parties who would want to form a coalition. Farrugia said she was not in a po- sition to give a total number of PD candidates that will be contesting the elections, "as many valid candi- dates are still approaching us". Farrugia, who during the 2013 elections contested the fifth and sixth electoral district, has not yet decided which districts she will be contesting. She however said that she was being encouraged to con- test a district in the south of Malta, or Gozo. A final decision will how- ever be taken in consultation with Simon Busuttil. Farrugia stands by former police constable It was also agreed that the PN would not interfere with the PD's choice of candidates, and vice- versa. Whilst the PN has its own rigorous vetting system in place, the PD will vet its own candidates. But the different vetting system has raised eyebrows amongst PN MPs and candidates, following the presence of former police constable Mario Portelli in the meeting which sealed the alliance last week. Mario Portelli, formerly PC 99, was boarded out of the force on mental health grounds and a court this year deemed his testimony in a court case as "untrustworthy". Portelli had also accused Romeo Bone – a criminal who was re- cently targeted in a car bomb at- tack – of stalking him a few years ago. Bone was cleared of the ac- cusations. Farrugia said that society should not discard Portelli for what hap- pened in the past. "The first thing I did was to ask him for a copy of his police con- duct, which is clean. I'm fully aware of the difficulties he faced in the past but I am not ready to condemn a man who did not have an easy life. He has now found his footing and is working on moving forward," she said. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 9 APRIL 2017 News De Marco, Fenech Adami uninvolved in negotiations A coalition with no 'red lines' "New candidates need to be vetted before being accepted, what happened to Marlene Farrugia's own vetting?" For Farrugia, talk of 'red lines' is reminiscent of 'highly confrontational male-dominated politics' Speaking to MaltaToday, Marlene Farrugia confirmed that the PN deputy leaders Beppe Fenech Adami (left) and Mario de Marco (right) were never present for meetings held between the two parties.