Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia is using party funds for Facebook adverts promoting his three-year stint at the helm, ahead of his forthcoming leadership contest with Bernard Grech.

However, a party spokesman on Monday refuted the suggestion that this practice amounted to abuse of power. He said the PN leadership campaign had not yet started, as both Delia and Grech were yet to be officially declared as candidates.

According to the party statute, they first need to pass the due diligence process, which is still under way, the spokesman said.

Promoted ads on Facebook

Last week, €142 were spent on three promotional ads uploaded on Delia’s official page.

Marked as being ‘paid by Partit Nazzjonalista’, the posts outlined efforts made by the leadership since 2017 to reach out and serve the people, as well as a recent initiative by PN deputy leader Robert Arrigo to give €2,500 to all PN clubs for refurbishment works.

In a dig at his predecessor Simon Busuttil, Delia states that under his watch none of the PN’s property used as clubs had been sold to reduce the party’s debts, while he pledged to adhere to this policy in the future.

The clubs refurbishment scheme was hailed by Arrigo as the result of “good financial planning”, a way to celebrate the party’s 140th anniversary and a measure in preparation for a possible early general election.

However, the move sparked concerns among Delia’s critics as the PN is still millions in the red while its timing ahead of his re-election bid fuelled suspicions it was an electoral stunt.

Asked for a reaction, a spokesman for leadership candidate Bernard Grech declined to take a position.

He said such allegations should be referred to the electoral commission and the ethics and discipline commission which would decide accordingly.

On his part, a PN spokesman pointed out that Delia was the “de facto leader” of the party and the opposition leader and consequently had every right to address press conferences and the nation.

“Neither of the two persons who expressed their interest in the leadership contest are at this moment deemed as candidates by the Electoral Commission.

“Their approval is only final after the due diligence exercise that has not yet been concluded by the candidates’ commission,” the spokesman said.

Referring to the refurbishment scheme, the PN spokesman echoed remarks made by Arrigo, that the move was part of the party’s financial plan put together by this leadership team as part of Delia’s ‘new way’.

“This is a small gesture which, without good and sound financial management, would have not been possible,” the PN said.

Due diligence this week

PN leader Adrian Delia and leadership challenger Bernard Grech will this week face a party due diligence panel to assess their suitability for the job. 

The “suitability check”, as one PN insider described it, will take the form of an interview with the panel. 

“The whole point of this exercise is to provide an x-ray of the two potential candidates, rather than being a qualifying exercise which the candidates can pass or fail,” a source said. 

The panel is also empowered to carry out due diligence checks on Delia’s and Grech’s finances.

The source said the financial due diligence process will also cover the candidates’ immediate family members. 

The panel has six weeks to conclude its work. It will then pass on a report to the administrative committee and the PN’s electoral commission.

Throughout his three-year tenure as PN leader, Delia has been blighted by questions about his finances and tax dues.