Robert Abela justifies co-option of Oliver Scicluna amid controversy over casual election
He shifted the narrative to Charles Azzopardi, calling the Nationalist Party s offer for him to join the Opposition anti-democratic
17 January 2021, 11:51am
by Nicole Meilak
Prime Minister Robert Abela tried to shut down all criticisms of the Labour Party s co-option of Oliver Scicluna during a political activity this morning, instead shifting the narrative to Charles Azzopardi and the Nationalist Party s subsequent offer to have him join the Opposition.
Scicluna s co-option by the Labour Party has been shrouded in controversy. The co-option was the result of a futile casual election, which saw MTA chairman Gavin Gulia enter parliament as an MP, only to resign a minute into his maiden parliamentary speech.
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Prime Minister Robert Abela has dismissed concerns that Gavin Gulia’s resignation seconds after being sworn in as an MP flew in the face of democratic norms.
Gulia was re-elected to parliament on Tuesday to fill the seat vacated by former finance minister Edward Scicluna, now governor of the Central Bank. He was sworn in on Wednesday but immediately resigned, saying Abela had asked him to stay on as Malta Tourism Authority chairman.
There was fear that the seat which Gulia won could go to former Rabat mayor Charles Azzopardi, who fell out with the Labour Party and is now a lifelong PN member.
Gavin Gulia will have to be vetted by a parliamentary committee before he can be reinstated as chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority.
Gulia, who was elected as an MP to replace Edward Scicluna only to resign a few minutes later last Wednesday, has said that the prime minister wants him to stay on as MTA chairman, a role he has fulfilled since 2013.
Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo confirmed on Friday that Gulia would have to face parliamentary scrutiny before being reinstated.
“A few moments after Gulia’s resignation from parliament, I submitted his nomination as the Malta Tourism Authority’s chairman for vetting via the public appointments committee’s (PAC) chairman,” Bartolo said.
Updated at 7:30 p.m. with co-option approval
Oliver Scicluna’s co-option to parliament on the government benches will be discussed later today by the Labour Party’s parliamentary group, Robert Abela has confirmed.
The Labour leader will also bring up the co-option for discussion in the party executive.
“The co-option will be discussed in the Labour parliamentary group today and the executive, although I am not obliged to do so,” Abela said when asked about the surprise move that saw former minister Gavin Gulia resign from MP just 24 hours after winning a casual election.
He insisted that Scicluna’s nomination would strengthen diversity in parliament.