Three ministers to face no-confidence vote after Sofia inquiry

Parliament is set to engage in a debate on an Opposition-led no-confidence motion targeting three ministers, as revealed by the whip of the PN parliamentary group, Robert Cutajar, during his address on Wednesday.

Cutajar specified that the debate, slated for a day dedicated to Opposition affairs, will be restricted to a single sitting.

The motion, stemming from the damning findings of the public inquiry into the tragic construction site fatality of Jean-Paul Sofia, conveys a lack of confidence in Ministers Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Miriam Dalli, and Silvio Schembri.

The inquiry highlighted the unregulated state of the construction site at the time, asserting that the government should shoulder the responsibility. The incident occurred in 2022 when a Corradino building collapsed during construction, resulting in the death of 20-year-old Sofia. The implicated ministers held roles overseeing the construction industry and state agencies responsible for site handover and project approval.

Addressing the matter, Labour whip Naomi Cachia conveyed the government's willingness to engage in the no-confidence motion debate. Earlier in the week, she had asserted the Labour parliamentary group's unwavering confidence in the implicated ministers.