He's only been general secretary of the Nationalist Party for six months, but Paul Borg Olivier has already had his fair share of controversies to deal with.

Paul Borg Olivier leans towards his computer with his face barely five centimetres away from the screen. He then swivels onto the desk to his right and buries his head in his hands.

Dr Borg Olivier is re-enacting his reaction last year when he realised that he mistakenly sent a sensitive e-mail to his political nemesis Jason Micallef.

He even tries to imitate Mr Micallef's likely reaction on receiving the e-mail.

I am treated to this improvised re-enactment at the end of a 30-minute interview. It is a light moment and Dr Borg Olivier laughs about the matter that put him in the spotlight for several weeks - gaining him six caricatures in the newspapers, which he proudly conserves.

Dr Borg Olivier insists the only wrong thing he did in the entire affair was to press the button that delivered the e-mail to Mr Micallef.

"The Labour Party tried to spin the issue out of proportion. As general secretary of a party in government I am obliged to communicate with ministers and members of their private secretariat since I have a duty to see that the electoral programme the government was elected on is implemented," he says.

Dr Borg Olivier justifies the content of the e-mail, which had called for the creation of a centralised system of government complaints and cryptically spoke of data-sharing between the government and the party.

He denies ever asking for government data to be passed on to the party and insists the aim of the e-mail was to ensure citizens get a good service from government.

"I never asked for the data to be passed on to the party. I suggested that the data should remain in the government's hands but it should be centrally available to avoid the hassle of people going from one department to another.

"The thrust of the e-mail was not in favour of government or the party but in favour of the citizen," he says.

After the furore that ensued last year, the system of managing complaints in government remains unchanged, Dr Borg Olivier confirms.

But he is still adamant that the system should be changed on the same lines outlined in the controversial e-mail.

"If people feel they have a right to a service or benefit, they should be entitled to it, by right and not because somebody is doing them a favour. But even if they are not correct they should still be informed accordingly," he insists.

Can he guarantee that the system will not be used closer to election time to remind people of the favours they were accorded?

With the panache of a seasoned politician, he says citizens don't need to be reminded because they would know that their complaint was addressed.

"I don't want to have a system that leaves people hanging unjustly on a thread with the consequence that on the eve of an election we get people running around to voice their complaints. People deserve better," Dr Borg Olivier insists.

If his answers on the e-mail scandal are direct and immediate, the same cannot be said of his replies on the proposed underground museum at St John's Co-Cathedral.

Ahead of the motion tabled in parliament by the opposition requesting the government to dissociate itself from the project, dissent has been mounting within the PN parliamentary group. At least three MPs have openly spoken against the proposed extension.

Dr Borg Olivier would not be drawn on the government's position. He skirts the question by insisting it is not a government project, but the foundation's.

"The government is neither supporting nor opposing this project. This is a project proposed by the foundation, which underwent an exam to acquire EU funds and it passed. Admittedly it also falls within the list of priorities identified by the country for EU funding," he says.

The general secretary points out that the project still needs to pass through all the phases of approval at the planning stage.

Having been mayor of Valletta he is asked whether he agrees with the development.

"Valletta is dynamic. It is a capital city, an administrative and cultural centre as well as a residential area. In 2018 Valletta will be nominated as European Cultural City of the Year. I view this project also within this context.

"I cannot say whether I am in favour or against the project because there are a number of questions I need answers to," he says, without specifying what they are.

As general secretary will he be insisting on a defined party line in Parliament when the opposition's motion comes to the vote - or will the PN MPs be given a free vote?

The only issue he speaks with certainty about is what he describes as the "danger" inherent in PL leader Joseph Muscat's motion.

"The definite line we should have as a party is that the Labour leader's motion is dangerous. It is a motion that can create an ugly precedent. The country's priorities for EU funding were determined through public consultation but the funds are not allocated by the government or Parliament.

"Dr Muscat's motion is dangerous because if the foundation or any other NGO applied for funds and these were approved by the EU after a rigorous process, it would mean he can intervene in an autocratic way to stop the projects.

"While the motion talks specifically of the foundation's cathedral project, it can create a dangerous precedent for other organisations. The party line should definitely ensure that this ugly precedent does not materialise," he says.

He is asked once again whether the Nationalist MPs should be given a free vote.

"I am not saying whether the party should or should not give a free vote on the project. This motion is dangerous and it should be defeated on this premise," Dr Borg Olivier reiterates.

It seems to be of little bother to him that the foundation's administrative board is jointly appointed by the Prime Minister and the Archbishop. Richard Cachia Caruana, Malta's Permanent Representative to the EU, sits on the board as the government representative.

Dr Borg Olivier says the cathedral project acquired the funds on its own merit and 85 per cent of the financing would be coming from the EU with the foundation forking out the rest.

"The opposition's motivation is to use the cathedral project as an excuse to have the key to stop other projects making the country lose out on EU funds," he argues.

With no definite answer on whether a free vote will be allowed or not I ask the question for the umpteenth time. Is he saying that he has no opinion on the issue?

"No. This is not the point. One can never agree with the Labour Party's motion because it is inherently dangerous," he says.

Another thorny issue that has created ripples in the parliamentary group was the nomination of George Abela as President by the Prime Minister.

Dr Borg Olivier acknowledges the way things developed over the weekend that Dr Abela's name was leaked to the media could have bothered members of the parliamentary group.

"The primary motivation behind Lawrence Gonzi's proposal to nominate Dr Abela is that our country has matured politically to the extent that in choosing the President it can transcend party lines. It was a challenging decision even for the party itself," he says.

Should a vote have been taken in the parliamentary group?

Instead of giving a straight 'yes' or 'no' answer he explains how PN members are not muzzled or threatened with fines if they speak differently.

"There is a healthy discussion in the parliamentary group. We have people with diverse opinions in all structures of the party but when a decision is taken we all get together," he says.

I insist on an answer to the question and, once again, he skirts around it.

"It is not a question of whether a vote is taken or not. A discussion was held in the parliamentary group. The choice of Dr Abela was a bold decision for the country, a challenging choice.

"It could have been taken because the country has developed democratically but it was expected to create debate not only in the parliamentary group but also in the country at large. What is interesting is that a vote had to be taken in the Labour Party parliamentary group over a person who comes from their fold and there wasn't unanimity," he says, taking a dig at the PL.

The PL parliamentary group discussed Dr Abela's nomination and took a secret vote on it. Two people voted against and one abstained with Alfred Sant and George Vella having spoken against during the debate.

I put to him that taking a vote was also a sign of democracy in the party. Dr Borg Olivier agrees but adds: "It does not mean that because one does not vote there is no democracy because democracy is all about bringing different ideas to the table."

'Selling' Dr Abela's nomination to the grassroots will not be an easy task. The dissenting voices of Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Simon Busuttil represent the feelings of a section of Nationalist supporters.

Dr Borg Olivier admits the nomination is a challenge for all the country including the PN grassroots. However, he finds comfort in the often repeated statement that the PN is the party of all Maltese.

"In nominating Dr Abela we are showing once again that we can be a party that transcends partisanship or the interests of our members," he says.

The big question is whether Dr Abela's nomination will get the unanimous approval of all Nationalist MPs when his nomination comes to the vote in Parliament.

His instantaneous response is directed towards his political rivals.

"I don't know what the Labour Party's parliamentary group will do because there has already been a vote on the nomination and there have been dissenters..."

Asked once again how the PN parliamentary group will vote, once again his answer is cryptic, but one that suggests the party is expecting everyone to vote in favour.

"When Dr Abela's nomination comes to the vote I believe that it will help to remove partisanship. The PN is proud of this proposal because it instils a sense of national unity," he says.

Since last March's election, dissenting voices within the PN have become more vocal. Is this a result of the precarious one-seat majority in Parliament?

Dr Borg Olivier does not think so. He says it is not the first time that the PN has governed with a one-seat majority and insists that dissent represents strength, not weakness.

"Diversity of thought is positive. It goes to show that the PN is not a party of yes-men but it is also a party that can work with a sense of loyalty. This makes us different from the PL," he says.

Diversity is an issue the PN will have to contend with more often in the next few years as the distinction between its more liberal wing and the conservative majority becomes more defined.

The one issue where that difference is bound to create tension is the regulation of non-traditional families.

MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa voted in favour of a non-binding resolution in the European Parliament calling for the non-discrimination of co-habiting individuals, including gay couples.

They even went on record in favour of legislation that grants rights to cohabiting individuals.

Is this a way of speaking one language in Europe and another one in Malta?

"Absolutely not. The PN is consistent on this aspect. There is no doubt that Maltese society is evolving and we have people living in non-traditional family set-ups.

"Before the election and even after, the PN insisted that in this legislature it should find better ways of regulating the rights and obligations of people who cohabit," Dr Borg Olivier says.

He makes it a point to underline that Dr Busuttil and Mr Casa did not vote for the right to civil marriage for gay couples. However, he is very cautious when talking of civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

"This needs to be taken in a wider context of what civil partnership means. One needs to be careful when making a distinction between partnership and marriage. What should be regulated first are the legal obligations of two individuals who are living together, even if they are of the same sex," Dr Borg Olivier says.

Another sensitive issue is divorce. Social Policy Minister John Dalli had said the time was ripe for a discussion on the matter but the Nationalist Party has had no structured internal debate on divorce since Dr Borg Olivier's election to the post of general secretary.

"The PN will still believe in the value of the family in its traditional form. This is a basic principle we will continue believing in," he says, while acknowledging the reality of relationships that are not in the traditional form.

However, he insists the PN was elected on a mandate and electoral programme which did not include divorce.

He is unfazed by the argument that there have been other issues not mentioned in the electoral programme, which the PN has addressed such as membership in the Partnership for Peace.

Dr Borg Olivier smiles and insists there is a fundamental difference between PfP and divorce.

"Our priority is to implement the electoral programme but it does not mean that divorce should not be debated," he says.

When the debate will start and in which forum is another issue altogether.

See also: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090208/local/george-abela-a-challenging-decision-paul-borg-olivier