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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 MAY 2017 7 News Simon Busuttil shrugs off Egrant responsibility MIRIAM DALLI YANNICK PACE OPPOSITION leader Simon Bu- suttil has shrugged off sugges- tions that he should resign if al- legations linking Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to the secretive Panamanian company Egrant turn out to be false. When allegations by blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia accus- ing Michelle Muscat of owning a share in Egrant Inc surfaced, the PN held a national demonstra- tion against the "most corrupt government in history". Adamant that he was telling the truth, Joseph Muscat asked for a magisterial inquiry to be appoint- ed and investigate the allegations. Meanwhile, fresh allegations surfaced against Muscat's chief of staff Keith Schembri – allegations which are now being investigated at a separate inquiry – with Mus- cat saying that Schembri would resign if the inquiry finds scope to launch criminal proceedings. The allegations concern find- ings by an FIAU site visit at Pi- latus Bank, where it was said that a €100,000 payment from an offshore company owned by Brian Tonna to the Pilatus bank account of Keith Schembri, could have been kickbacks on the sale of Maltese passports. Both men deny the allegation, saying the payment was for a loan made in 2012. Muscat has also pledged to step down if the Egrant inquiry links him to the offshore company. At the same time, he challenged Busuttil to declare whether he would step down if the inquiry absolves Muscat, showing the al- legation which Busuttil made his own to have been a fabricated lie. Asked by reporters during a press conference yesterday morning, Busuttil appeared re- luctant to accept the challenge. Instead, he said that it was the Prime Minister who should re- sign, as the one facing the allega- tion. "I don't have a company in Pan- ama and neither do my candi- dates, something which evidently differs when compared to the prime minister's candidates," he quipped, in a dig at the offshore company owned by Konrad Mizzi – a minister and PL candidate on the fourth district. "The country should not suf- fer for Joseph Muscat's wrong actions. I am confident that the Maltese public will be taking the decision which Muscat was unable to do and remove Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi." In a reaction, Labour Party dep- uty leader Chris Cardona insisted that Busuttil refusing to "take re- sponsibility" for his allegations meant he was not worthy of the role of Prime Minister. Referring to Busuttil's com- ments as "an important develop- ment", Cardona said that Muscat had said that if the inquiry links him to the company, he would instantly resign. "Busuttil did not answer the question as to whether he would resign if Muscat is absolved, and he avoided taking the responsibil- ity for a lie that has led us to the current situation," said Cardona, who insisted that the allegations are what had brought on an early election and had also tarnished Malta's reputation abroad. "Accountability is there for eve- ryone and not for a few," contin- ued Cardona. "A public person can't be taken seriously when he makes serious accusations about someone and then hides, despite the damage inflicted on the per- son's reputation." MIRIAM DALLI THE Nationalist Party and the Democratic Party will jointly be fielding a total of 110 candidates: 99 candidates fielded by the PN and 11 candidates fielded by the PD. The 110 candidates will run on the PN ticket. Addressing a joint media con- ference with PD leader Marlene Farrugia, with the candidates – in- cluding Godfrey Farrugia – sitting behind them, PN leader Simon Bu- suttil said that 60% were first-time candidates, 20% were under 35 years of age whilst a quarter were women. "I must admit that I am not happy with the number of women contesting because I believe the percentage could have been higher but we all know that it's already dif- ficult to encourage persons to run for elections," he said, adding a PN government would give women a bigger platform. This, Busuttil added, would in- clude the introduction of measures which would see half of each public board composed of women. In his opening comments, Busut- til said that it had been his dream to transform the PN into "a people's party" once again. "Trust is not something you ask for but something you work for. This national force is standing be- fore you determined to work for you, beyond the 3 June election," he said. "This is not an election where the winner takes it all but electing those who are ready to compromise, and not dictate. This national force is asking for your consensus and sup- port." The PN leader also expressed confidence in the party's chances of winning the general election: "I always had faith in that the public will make the right decision in or- der to give us the chance to clean our political system, once and for all." Welcoming the former Labour whip into the fold, Busuttil said he was pleased to see Godfrey Farrugia joining the PD. It has been agreed between the two parties that the candidates will run on the PN ticket, differentiated on the ballot sheet with the nick- names 'tal-Orangjo' or 'ta' Marlene tal-Orangjo'. During her address, the PD lead- er said it wasn't a question about which leader will be leading the coalition: "Like in a household the family is guided by both heads, this political force will be one of con- sensus." She argued that with her pres- ence, and Godfrey Farrugia's can- didature, the "Labour soul" will be represented in the national force. Targeting Labour supporters in her speech, she said: "You will be win- ners with us." Additional reporting by Stefan Paul Galea PN leader questioned over possibility that Egrant claims are false • Labour: 'Accountability is for everyone… running away means Busuttil not worthy of prime minister's role' PN, PD to field 110 candidates PN leader Simon Busuttil presenting the PN's and PD's candidates