Labour MP Silvio Grixti interrogated by police, resigns from parliament

Updated at 5:45pm with Silvio Grixti statement

Labour MP Silvio Grixti has resigned from parliament after being interrogated by the police, MaltaToday is informed.

Grixti was released on police bail but this newspaper has no information yet on the nature of the police investigation in his regard but sources have suggested it may be linked to probable fraudulent sickness certificates.

When contacted, Grixti said he was indisposed and that his lawyers will be communicating with this newspaper.

Speaking on his behalf, lawyers Franco Debono and Arthur Azzopardi said their client “did not wish to release any comments”.

Sources close to government said Grixti tendered his resignation from parliament today.

The Labour MP was elected for the first time in the 2017 general election on the Third District. He obtained 2,452 votes on the first count, being the third highest scoring Labour candidate after Chris Fearne and Carmelo Abela.

His resignation will require a casual election to fill the vacant seat.

On Monday evening Silvio Grixti confirmed on Facebook that he will be resigning from his seat in parliament.

He said that he does not want to occupy a parliamentary seat during a period in which he will not be fully focused on representing his constituents and patients.

Beyond this, he gives no reason for his resignation.

"My coming priorities go beyond political life [...] I have helped and will continue to help people and patients in my professional life, in every locality in need of help," he wrote.

He ended his post with a word of praise to Robert Abela, saying the country needs the Labour party in order to progress forward.