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James Debono
The Pope’s funeral has brought the Leader of the Opposition and the President of the Republic together with the Prime Minister together, albeit on a private jet.
Lawrence Gonzi, Alfred Sant and Eddie Fenech Adami were on the same private jet on their way to Rome to attend the Pope’s funeral.
Considering the confined space of the private jet this could have been their closest meeting ever in their respective roles. Yet once again, as on other official occasions, they were not alone.
Contacted by MaltaToday the President has confirmed that no formal meetings have been held between the Presidency and the Leader of the Opposition except on official occasions. According to the President “such meetings would be welcome.”
Dr Alfred Sant told MaltaToday that “it is not correct to comment in the media on the relationship between the Opposition and the Presidency.”
Alfred Sant had a very cordial relationship with former President Censu Tabone. In an interview with MaltaToday in February 2004, Tabone recalled he has asked the new Opposition Leader Alfred Sant whether he was interested to meet him every month. “Alfred Sant said ‘yes’ and I told him he could bring whoever he wanted with him. The only condition he made was that the meetings be over by the time his daughter finished school so that he would be able to pick her up.”
Mutual respect also marked the two years of institutional cohabitation between the PN appointed President Ugo Mifsud Bonnici and Dr Alfred Sant. On the other hand the relationship between Guido Demarco and Alfred Sant was poisoned by Sant’s contention that Demarco had colluded with Mintoff in toppling his government in 1998.
The animosity between Alfred Sant and Eddie Fenech Adami as party leaders stands as an obstacle in the way of establishing a more cordial relationship between the two.
Ironically if Sant is elected in 2008, President Fenech Adami will be the one to read the new government’s inaugural speech. A modicum of cordiality between the two will make a possible institutional cohabitation a little bit easier.
jdebono@newsworksltd.com
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