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James Debono
Erstwhile Prime Minister and former Malta Labour Party leader Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici will have to gatecrash three out of four of the meetings convened by the MLP in order to address MLP delegates to discuss the EU constitutional treaty.
MLP secretary general Jason Micallef has informed MaltaToday that Mifsud Bonnici will only be able to participate in one of the four assemblies in which delegates will discuss the European Constitution.
In this way Mifsud Bonnici will only be able to communicate with one-fourth of the delegates before the national conference is convened in June.
“Mifsud Bonnici must realise that he is a delegate like any other delegate and he should not expect any preferential treatment. Each one of these assemblies will be limited to delegates from each of the four regions. Karmenu will be able to participate in the conference for delegates from his region. If we were to allow Mifsud Bonnici we would end up allowing all delegates to participate in all four assemblies. This would not be practical.”
In an interview with MaltaToday, Mifsud Bonnici expressed his determination to participate in all four assemblies in which the MLP will discuss its position on the EU constitution.
“My only chance left to communicate with the delegates is by attending all these assemblies. And I will insist on attending all these four meetings. The MLP leadership will be present in all these meetings. If the party wants an open discussion it should allow me to participate in all four meetings.”
Jason Micallef informed MaltaToday that three of the discussions will be held in Malta while another will be held in Gozo.
The three documents commissioned by the party have been distributed by all delegates. There will be an open discussion. The leadership will be attending all four meetings in order to listen to the delegates.”
In a wide ranging interview in MaltaToday the former Prime Minister says: “What should concern us is not winning elections, but our beliefs and principles. If we preach the truth we will win. If in order to win we end up abandoning Labour principles, I am not interested. I will not have any interest in a party with a right wing Thatcherite agenda even if it is called a labour party. I am interested in a party with a just social policy, whether it’s called a communist party, a nationalist party or a labour party it does not matter. I am only interested in policies and beliefs.”
Speaking to MaltaToday, Mifsud Bonnici also alleged that the report commissioned by the MLP on the legal implications of the EU constitution and co-authored by Dr Paul Lia and Dr Joseph Brincat was in fact written only by Dr Brincat.
Upon being contacted by MaltaToday Dr Paul Lia refused to comment, saying that he never talks to journalists. Writing on L-Orizzont on Thursday MLP Leader Alfred Sant confirmed that the document has been co-authored by Brincat and Lia.
Mifsud Bonnici also alleged that party officials are shunning public debates with him on television. Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici will be the guest in the next Tuesday’s edition of Int X’Tahseb?
jdebono@newsworksltd.com
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