The Nationalist Party will be embarking on the second phase of its reform, aimed to renew and strengthen it.

In a statement on Thursday, it said the executive committee decided to embark on a process to amend its statute as the second part of the reform it embarked upon in July.

In December, it will start to consider the proposed changes and once the amendments to the statute were approved, it would move on to the renewal of its committees, organs and official positions.

The executive committee unanimously approved a motion moved by leader Adrian Delia and seconded by secretary general Clyde Puli to extend the mandate of the current officials, committees and branches to March 31, 2020.

Dr Delia explained that this was necessary for the renewals to be carried out according to the new rules. He praised the commitment being shown by the committees and all involved for their active and constructive participation and said he was convinced the reform would be of service to the people. He also praised the participation of the parliamentary group in the past weeks for the Opposition to be a propositive one.

Mr Puli said he was optimistic that the reform would bear fruit and encouraged all members to unite in dialogue in the coming weeks.

At the beginning of the meeting, party veteran Louis Galea, who is in charge of the reform, updated the committee on the work carried out and on what comes next.

He said scores of meetings had been carried out and a questionnaire had been filled in by committees, which had until October 15 to send their proposals which he now had to examine together with the hundreds of letters and memorandums received from citizens, including some not affiliated to the party and others who had different ideas but believed the country needed a strong Opposition to be an alternative force to the government.