Speaker Anglu Farrugia on Monday urged the health authorities to ensure that MPs on both sides of the house as well as parliamentary staff are given the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible due to their contact with people and so that sittings would not be interrupted.

The Speaker made this appeal as he rejected a breach of privilege complaint filed by Opposition Leader Bernard Grech against Health Minister Chris Fearne over his claims that more than one PN MP approached him to skip the vaccine queue. 

Following the Speaker’s call, Prime Minister Robert Abela and Grech both stood up to refuse being given the vaccine before it was their turn. While Abela said he did not feel he should be given the vaccine before other vulnerable people, Grech spoke in the plural, saying all Opposition MPs will wait their turn for the vaccine. 

The Speaker also denied another breach of privilege complaint filed against Fearne by PN whip Robert Cutajar because this was not filed at the first available opportunity as laid down in the parliamentary rules. The complaint was over the same issue when Fearne alleged that he had received WhatsApp messages from PN MPs asking to be given the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Fearne on Tuesday said he had resisted attempts by several people, including a Nationalist MP, to be bumped up the vaccine waiting list.

He did not give any names but told PN leader Bernard Grech that he would be willing to give him the MP's name in private.  

In a statement on Wednesday, the PN said it "unanimously and categorically" denied the allegations stated by Fearne.