Former PM turns down offer to inaugurate new parliament: 'It’s the President, Speaker’s duty'

Labour administration invited Lawrence Gonzi to inaugurate Renzo Piano building • ‘Building should be inaugurated by the Head of State who is entrusted by the Constitution to represent us all together as people with our unique characteristics’ – Gonzi

Former prime minister Lawrence Gonzi graciously turned down an invitation by the Labour administration to inaugurate the new parliamentary building in City Gate, Valletta.

Designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, the €45 million building – source of much controversy in Malta – will be inaugurated next week as MPs return to parliament following the Easter recess.

Following a report in The Times’ print edition reporting that the President, and not Gonzi, was going to open the new parliament, both the Office of the Prime Minister and Lawrence Gonzi confirmed that an invitation had been made but the latter had declined.

The Times this morning reported that “the new parliament building will be inaugurated by President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca after all, despite Joseph Muscat having once said that a Labour government would invite Lawrence Gonzi to open this ‘monument to extravagance’.”

Reacting to the report, Gonzi said the inauguration of the new Parliament building is a solemn occasion symbolising Malta’s dignity as a sovereign and mature democracy.

“We are moving out of the “Grandmaster’s Palace” into an iconic building which was itself conceived as a symbol of a successful, vibrant and ambitious democracy. I am very proud of this achievement and of the significance of the event. It is precisely this sense of pride in my country that bars me from taking any initiative which demeans the occasion,” Gonzi said.

He said, that the building should be inaugurated by the Head of State who is entrusted by the Constitution “to represent us all together as people with our unique characteristics”.

Gonzi confirmed that he had been approached by the Principal Permanent Secretary, who had asked him whether he would be willing to deliver a speech.

 “I indicated to him that I did not think this was appropriate and I reiterated that in my opinion, the building should be inaugurated by the President of the Republic with the participation of the Speaker of the House,” Gonzi said, arguing that any other option would be an insult to the President, to the Speaker, to the parliamentarians “and to those amongst us who are not influenced by outdated political bias”.

The OPM confirmed the President will preside over the ceremony and the Speaker will speak on behalf of the House of Representatives.