Dalli not attending executive hearing but willing to give testimony

European commissioner John Dalli will not be attending this evening's PN hearing as his schedule had already been booked with important meetings months ago.

In a comment to MaltaToday, Dalli said he was sorry he couldn't attend but he couldn't do otherwise.

"I would have liked to appear before the executive but whoever set the date didn't even bother to check my availability," he said.

Dalli, who is currently in Brussels, said that if the hearing were to be held on Thursday he would have been able to attend.

"Since when is the executive not meeting on a Thursday? I would have attended if they had stuck to their usual day," Dalli insisted.

The procedure was decided upon by the administrative committee of the PN and approved by the executive committee last week.

PN executive president Marthese Portelli yesterday informed the five witnesses proposed by backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando that they were to appear before the committee this evening.

Pullicino Orlando will be giving evidence as to why Richard Cachia Caruana should be expelled from the party. Meanwhile, Portelli has accused Pullicino Orlando of "acting in bad faith" and of having failed to follow the procedure as set by the executive.

The four other witnesses include Labour whip Joe Mizzi, Labour MP Karmenu Vella, Police Commissioner John Rizzo and the Prime Minister's spokesman Gordon Pisani.

While Mizzi would not comment on whether he'll be attending the meeting and Vella could not be contacted, Commissioner Rizzo told MaltaToday he would "not comment at this stage".

On the other hand, Pisani has already declared he will be considering any accusations which Pullicino Orlando might make against Cachia Caruana as "unfounded".

Pisani will be attending tonight's meeting.