PN gets its knickers in a twist: After lamenting lack of consultation on acting president, Abela publishes letter he sent Grech three weeks ago

The Nationalist Party has got its knickers in a twist after lamenting that Bernard Grech was not consulted on the appointment of Frank Bezzina as acting president despite the Opposition leader having been informed on 2 June.

Earlier on Thursday, Professor Frank Bezzina was named by the government as acting president for the periods during which President George Vella will be abroad.

The Nationalist Party later claimed Grech was not consulted on the appointment, accusing the government of being disinterested in reaching an agreement on several key constitutional roles.

“The PN leader has been in communication with the Prime Minister for months, asking for a serious and effective consultation process on this role and others. Robert Abela had even answered the letter by promising he would consult with Grech,” the PN statement read.

However, the government responded by publishing the letter Prime Minister Robert Abela sent Grech on 2 June in which he informed him of his intentions to appoint Bezzina to the role. Abela asked Grech to get back with his feedback, preferably within a week.

The letter sent by Abela to Grech on 2 June

“This letter is being sent so that it serves as consultation as per Article 49 of the Constitution. I wait for your reaction, ideally within a week’s time,” Abela wrote in the letter.

The Office of the Prime Minister said that Grech ignored the letter and never offered his reaction.

With the need to have an acting president in place later this week, the government went ahead with the appointment of the academic.