Updated 2pm
Prime Minister Robert Abela wants opposition leader Adrian Delia to remain his political adversary and has become his defence lawyer, the 19 members of the PN parliamentary group who voted against Delia in a confidence vote said on Sunday.
In a statement issued after Abela's speech in the morning, the MPs said it was now clear that it was crucial for the Labour Party that Delia remained leader of the opposition and the Nationalist Party.
Despite losing a vote of confidence last Tuesday, a defiant Delia refused to resign insisting he had to respect the will of party members who elected him.
President George Vella is currently seeking legal advice over whether he can strip Delia of his position as leader of the opposition in the House. Pressure is mounting from the pro-Delia camp to expel the MPs who want a change in leader.
The MPs said Abela used Sunday’s activity to defend Delia and try to influence the President in the decision he has to take in line with the Constitution.
In his speech, Abela accused the MPs of trying to force the president into a decision that reflected their own will rather than his judgement.
The MPs said the Labour Party, through its spokespersons and media, had been defending Delia for the past three years. This defence became stronger in the past days following their courageous and necessary action to vote against Delia.
Their position, the MPs said, was clear. The President should act in line with the Constitution, as had also been explained by the former judge of the European Court for Human Rights Giovanni Bonello, Prof. Kevin Aquilina and lawyer Austin Bencini.
This was to remove Delia from leader of the opposition and replace him with a person who had the confidence of the majority of PN members. This was Comodini Cachia.
Through his speech, Abela had also become Delia’s defence lawyer, they said.
'Message of goodwill' to the electorate
Earlier, they said their decisions were always taken in the interests of members, the party and the country.
The 17 MPs and two MEPs said they understood they were elected in parliament by party members and the Nationalist electorate and would, therefore, continue to work to strengthen the party and make it a strong opposition.
In the past days, thousands of people expressed new hope for the party led by a person who would truly represent the principles and values which, during the years the country was administered by the PN, made it a democratic, modern and European country.
The 19 members said they were seeing, hearing and feeling the sense of worry among members on the party's situation.
Electorate eager for 'necessary change'
The developments in the past days showed how the electorate which always supported the PN was eager for a "necessary change" for the country to have an opposition led by a person who had integrity, was serious, honest and credible and supported the national and party interests before his or her own.
They said they had full confidence that the mechanism provided by the constitution would lead to the appointment of Therese Comodini Cachia as opposition leader in line with their unanimous decision.
The 19 members said they will not lose heart in front of the challenges ahead and would continue to do their utmost within the party structures, parliament and directly with the electorate.
They said they were giving "a message of courage" to those who always supported the PN and to the Maltese and Gozitans of goodwill.
“That which is right will prevail,” they said.