Defiant Ryan Mercieca to contest casual election, could deprive PN of Gozo seat

Ryan Mercieca defies Nationalist Party and submits nomination for 13th District casual election to fill in the parliamentary seat vacated after the death of Frederick Azzopardi

Ryan Mercieca has submitted his nomination for the 13th District casual election, despite the Nationalist Party's instructions not to do so.

Mercieca stood on the PN ticket in the last general election but on Sunday the party disassociated itself from him, following an investigation by the party’s ethics committee.

In January 2017, the Police Commissioner was ordered to investigate an incident in which the treasurer of the Gozo NGOs' Association, Joseph Camilleri was allegedly threatened by the group's secretary outside a courtroom, after testifying in a libel case against it-Torca.

Camilleri claimed that Mercieca had approached him in the corridor outside the courtroom and had asked whether the treasurer had sought permission from the association to exhibit the documents in court.

Camilleri said he had replied by saying that he had spoken to the association's president. Mercieca had then allegedly said "issa ġejja tiegħek," which loosely translates to "you'll get what's coming to you".

He was cleared of any wrongdoing. 

The PN said on Sunday that it allowed for Mercieca to defend his position, but he failed to do so.

But despite the party’s decision to oust him, Mercieca has gone ahead and submitted his nomination for the casual election.

Mercieca will be vying for a seat on the 13th district, which was vacated following MP Frederick Azzopardi’s death last month.

Mercieca obtained 738 first count votes, but failed to get elected in the 2017 election.

Candidates Censu Galea, Jason Zammit, Maria Portelli and Joseph Ellis have also submitted their nominations.

In a statement, Mercieca said the decision to contest the election came out of respect to his voters.

“No attack will shift my belief that the people’s choice is sovereign, and that one should respect the democratic process,” he said.

He also went on to say that no fact will alter his reputation.

“High ethical standards should be demanded from everyone,” his statement read.

Casual election nominations closed today.

If elected, Mercieca is likely to sit as an independent MP, effectively depriving the PN of another parliamentary seat.

READ ALSO: PN disassociates itself from former candidate Ryan Mercieca