PL to discuss Rosianne Cutajar’s return to parliamentary group

Independent MP Rosianne Cutajar could see a return to Labour’s parliamentary group, Prime Minister Robert Abela has said.  

“She has requested to be reintegrated with the Labour Party parliamentary group, and that will be discussed and processed by the party structures,” the Prime Minister said in an interview with RTK presenter Andrew Azzopardi on Saturday.  

Rosianne Cutajar was ousted from Labour’s parliamentary group in the wake of the publication of damning WhatsApp exchanges between Cutajar and murder suspect Yorgen Fenech from 2019. 

Independent MP Rosianne Cutajar (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

In one exchange, Cutajar told Fenech she would seek a consultancy with the Institute for Tourism Studies to emulate everyone else, presumably from the PL, who was acting like a “pig at the trough”. She did in fact get an ITS consultancy. 

In comments to MaltaToday earlier this month Robert Abela had said it would be cruel for him not to reconsider Cutajar’s reintegration in the parliamentary group.  

Abela continued in the same vein when speaking about former minister Justyne Caruana, who was forced to resign on the back of an ethics breach in which she gifted a €15,000 contract to her partner Daniel Bogdanovic. 

“The door is open for Justyne but the only thing stopping her is the retribution she would receive once she enters back into political life,” Abela told Azzopardi.  

Questioned on whether the moves to reintegrate ousted MPs was an effort to reconnect with the party’s grassroots voters, Abela insisted he believed in second chances.  

“It shows the difference between the two parties. One believes in second chances, while the other party’s establishment seeks to demonise anyone who dares criticise them,” Abela said in a subtle dig at a blog penned by Manuel Delia on former MP Franco Debono. Delia had compared Franco Debono’s suggested return to the political scene to a “re-emerging tumour”. 

Manuel Delia

Asked whether the same principle still stands with Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi and Chris Cardona, Abela said different circumstances require different considerations. 

Muscat’s return and doubts over the Vitals inquiry  

Asked on rumours over a possible return to public life for former prime minister Joseph Muscat, Abela said he would not be the one to stand in Muscat’s way.  

"If he decides to contest [the June MEP election], why would I say no," Abela stated. “A strong candidate line-up does not scare us, it scares the PN.” 

He heaped praise on his predecessor, saying Muscat headed major social and economic reforms during his premiership between 2013 and 2019.  

Questioned over whether possible damming conclusions in the Vitals inquiry would worry the Labour Party, Abela steered away from the question, instead opting to focus on why the conclusions have not yet been made public more than four years since its start. 

“The inquiry should have been closed after 60 days, and we are now four years into the inquiry, and we have not seen any results,” he said. “It seems everyone knows what the inquiry conclusions will be.” 

Casting doubt on the inquiry, and leaks from its conclusion, Abela questioned its timing ahead of the elections. 

“Are my concerns not legitimate if it has taken four years for the inquiry to be finalised, only for the results to come out just months before the European election?” he told Azzopardi.  

He also slammed lawyer Jason Azzopardi, without ever naming him, for leaking information from the inquiry “for his own personal agenda”. 

Former MP Jason Azzopardi

‘MEPs for Malta’ 

Speaking on the upcoming MEP elections, Abela said the country must ensure it has people who truly represent them, and not elected officials who work against Malta.  

“We have seen MEPs who go against the country for their own personal gain to advance their career. We have seen this happen repeatedly,” he said.  

The PM also criticised decisions taken by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on structural reforms at the EP, and her stand on Gaza.  

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola

Abela did not play down the MEP elections’ importance, saying it is always good for the government to have a good mid-term performance.  

On whether MEP Cyrus Engerer is still part of the Labour Party, Abela said “of course he is.” 

Foreigners where the workforce needs them 

Azzopardi asked Abela to denounce claims for all foreigners to be booted out of the country.  

The PM said the government’s policy is that of having foreign workers in parts of the workforce where they are needed.  

“In fact, when it came to temping agencies, we saw there was rampant abuse of workers being imported without having a place to work at. When we realised this, we immediately closed the doors to these temping agencies,” he said.