The coalition agreement between the Nationalist Party and the Democratic Party no longer stands, new PD chairman Anthony Buttigieg has told TimesTalk.

“The pre-election coalition agreement we had was for a governing coalition and we are in opposition, so in effect, post-election, you could say the agreement no longer stands,” he said.

The PD MPs, Marlene and Godfrey Farrugia are not attending meetings of the PN parliamentary group because they are not being invited, he added.

“Marlene and Godfrey Farrugia were elected on a platform of working closely with the PN, and the party wants to honour that. We try to honour that agreement, but if they are not being allowed to honour it, they can only work on their own as PD representatives.”

The Farrugias are learning of PN positions through the grapevine because they are not being consulted, he said.

Asked about his view of new PN leader Adrian Delia, Dr Buttigieg said he was concerned about some claims made by Daphne Caruana Galizia.

“The jury is out. So far, what he has said, and what he said prior to being elected, was not very encouraging,” he said.

Dr Buttigieg said he wished to build up the PD so that it could contest elections on its own. He said he was encouraged by response so far, although he admitted the party only has about 75 active members.

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