Nationalist Party deputy leader Robert Arrigo missed a parliamentary vote on landmark constitutional reforms because he was busy attending a political activity in support of embattled leader Adrian Delia.
Arrigo was one of only four MPs to fail to turn up for the vote – with two others ill and the third abroad. He justified his absence due to a “last-minute” decision to take the vote an hour earlier.
According to the MP, the decision to take the vote at 6pm, rather than at 7pm as originally scheduled, meant he could not make it due to planned political activities at 5pm and 7pm.
“I tried going as planned. I arrived late,” Arrigo told Times of Malta.
The vote ended up being taken at around 6.45pm as other MPs turned up late. Photos uploaded on Facebook on Thursday morning by PN leader Adrian Delia show Arrigo next to him at a political activity in Żurrieq the previous evening.
On Wednesday, parliament unanimously agreed to elect the president by a two-thirds majority and to give the head of state more powers, including the appointment of magistrates and judges. The decision was later hailed as “historic” by Delia in a televised broadcast.
A total of 63 out of the 67 MPs supported the reforms. While all Labour MPs were present for the vote, four opposition members were absent. Sources said that apart from Frederick Azzopardi who has not been able to attend any sitting for months due to ill health, Claudio Grech was on a trip abroad which had been planned weeks in advance, while Stephen Spiteri was absent on medical grounds.
Opposition MPs, particularly those behind a recent no-confidence vote in the PN leader, were irritated by Arrigo’s absence.
They insisted that this was not the time to put party politics ahead of the national interest.
Delia is battling for the support of councillors ahead of tomorrow’s general council vote which could trigger a leadership race.
Asked to clarify his position, Arrigo said he had been in parliament two hours before the vote but had to leave.
“The vote was set for 7pm. I had two political activities, 5pm and 7.30pm. Timings [were] planned to be able to vote. Unfortunately voting was put forward to 6pm at the last minute,” Arrigo said.
The MP claimed he tried nonetheless to make it but arrived late.