The Government and the Opposition traded insults in statements this morning after the suspension of this morning's Parliamentary sitting because of a lack of quorum.
A total of 15 MPs are required for a quorum to be formed.
The House was debating the Citizenship Act.
The call for a quorum was made by Opposition whip David Agius when Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici, who had the floor, said there was only one Nationalist MP on the Opposition benches.
On a point of order, Mr Agius said the Parliamentary Secretary left him with no choice but to call a quorum as this was not true and there were actually only two Government MPs.
When the House reconvened the required 15 MPs for the sitting to continue were still not present.
It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure it has enough MPs present in the House to ensure there is a quorum.
OPPOSITION ADOPTING PUERILE DELAYING TACTICS - GOVERNMENT
In a statement the Government said it noted the puerile delaying tactics adopted by the Opposition to deny the country investment opportunities through the Individual Investors Programme.
The Government and the Opposition had agreed on a schedule on sittings but, for the third time in a week, the Opposition called a quorum.
These were just tactics being used by who had an interest to delay a process which would be of benefit to the country.
The question that remained was in whose interest was this being done, the Government said.
GOVERNMENT DISRESPECTING PARLIAMENT - PN
In a statement, the Nationalist Party said what happened in Parliament this morning reflected the Government's arrogance and showed that it did not practice what it preached.
Out if its 39 MPs, it did not manage to ensure that at least 15 would be present for this morning's sitting just four days after it announced in the budget that it would be linking the honoraria payment to attendance.
The Government was also going back on its promise to lead with humility and power had already gone to its head, it said.
The PN said it should be ashamed that in spite of such a huge majority, it was not capable of ensuring a quorum in the House. This was disrespectful to Parliament and the Opposition condemned such behaviour and declared it would continue to defend Maltese citizenship.