Updated | PN, PL announce councillors' resignations

Updated at 11:28

PL councillor Martin Debono has announced his resignation. Contacted by MaltaToday, the Labour Party said Debono has resigned to clear his name. Asked whether Debono intends to join the PL if his name is cleared, a PL spokesman said it's too early to comment:

"We have to wait and see what's going to happen. Debono has resigned to be able to focus on his case."

The PL has now only two representatives on the Sliema local council.

Earlier: The Nationalist Party this morning announced that Sliema councillor Bobby Yves Calì – arrested last January over alleged misuse of laptop – has resigned from the Nationalist Party, and will stay on as an independent councillor.

The news followed a report which appeared in The Times, saying that police have filed criminal charges against local councillors Yves Calì and Labour councillor Martin Debono.

It is not yet known what Debono – also investigated over council laptop misuse –intends to do.

Meanwhile, the PN said Calì had resigned to be able to defend his case without causing any harm to the political party.

But Calì’s resignation, which follows former PN councillor’s resignation Cyrus Engerer, means that the PN has now lost its majority in a locality known for its Nationalist stronghold.

The resignation continues to weakens Sliema mayor Joanna Gonzi’s position as she is now faced with four independent councillors (Yves Calì, Engerer, Nikki Dimech and Sandra Camilleri) and three PL councillors – one of which is Debono.