PN presents motion against Speaker's 'illogical' ruling against MP Jason Azzopardi

The PN has presented a parliamentary motion, calling for the retraction of a Speaker's ruling that found Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi in breach of parliamentary privilege when he had tweeted that justice minister Owen Bonnici had lied to Parliament. 

PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami told the press that Anglu Farrugia's ruling breaches Azzopardi's rights to freedom of expression and could set a dangerous precedent whereby the Speaker can make rulings on comments passed by MPs outside of parliamentary sittings.

Azzopardi's claim was made in light of recent revelations that Henley and Partners - the concessionaires of Malta's sale of citizenship scheme - earn a 4% commission on the obligatory sale of government bonds to passport buyers. The shadow justice minister had recounted how Bonnici had in 2015 told a parliamentary committee that Henley and Partners do not receive extra commissions over and above the standard 4% from the €650,000 that applicants pay for citizenship.

Following Bonnici's request for an investigation, Farrugia on Monday called on Azzopadi to withdraw his comments, warning that a failure to do could lead to further sanctions. However, Azzopardi stood by his comments and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said that any action against his MP should also apply personally to him.

Presenting the motion to the Clerk of the House Ray Scicluna today, Fenech Adami said that the ruling was based on "illogical considerations" and "inquisitorial logic" that were used to find a way to pin the blame on Azzopardi.

"The ruling sets a dangerous precedent, as the Speaker is now also making rulings on parliamentary privilege when MPs post on Twitter while outside of Parliament," he said. "Instead of being at the forefront to defend the right of MPs to reasonable freedom of expression in the public domain, the Speaker has taken it upon himself to clamp down on the same freedom, without which would render the work of MPs meaningless."