The Opposition this evening requested an urgent debate in Parliament on calls made in a public protest yesterday for the resignation of the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General following the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The request was turned down by the Speaker, citing Standing Orders.
Opposition leader Adrian Delia said the Opposition was requesting the suspension of the business of the House for an urgent debate on the calls made yesterday by civil society for the commissioner and the AG to be removed, and their successors appointed by two-thirds majority of the House.
The debate, he said, should be held without a vote.
He observed that the car bomb murder had drawn condemnation throughout Malta and internationally.
The government, he said, was failing to heed the people’s calls.
In a ruling, the Speaker turned down the request, saying that in terms of Standing Orders, such a request for urgent debate could not be made when the House was debating the appropriation.
Opposition whip David Agius said the two sides could agree on the business of the House.
Mario de Marco, deputy leader of the opposition, asked whether the refusal meant that the government did not agree that this was an urgent matter of public importance.
The Opposition whip, Byron Camilleri, said the government respected the Speaker's ruling and Dr Delia could also have raised the matter in the morning. The agenda of the House should therefore be followed.
Dr Delia said he had in the morning invited the government to speak about the resignation calls, but not a word was said.
Amid interruptions, Dr de Marco said it was a disgrace that the country's highest institution was not discussing a matter which was urgent, important and definite and had grabbed the world's attention (uproar across the floor).
Dr Delia said it was unacceptable that the government acted as if it was business as usual. The issue of rule of law knew no time, and this was urgent, he said. Matters could not be swept under the carpet.
The Speaker said he stood by his decision on the basis of standing orders once there was no agreement between the two sides for such a debate. The government side, he said, had shown it wanted the House to follow its agenda.
Dr de Marco said the government's position should be in writing (uproar).
The Speaker said the minutes would reflect what had taken place.
Dr Delia said the government side should declare its position.
The Speaker stood by his position saying the government side had said it wanted to follow the agenda and in terms of standing orders, the motion for urgent debate could not, therefore, be accepted.
The House then resumed the Budget debate in Committee of Supply.
LABOUR: DELIA IS FIGHTING TO KEEP HIS POST
In a statement after the developments in Parliament, the Labour Party said Dr Delia was making a desperate attempt to keep his post.
Between the morning and the evening, the leader of the opposition had changed his priorities in parliament and, clearly, he was making a desperate attempt to save his position, the party said.