Grech asks ministers on political responsibility for Jean Paul Sofia’s death

Opposition leader Bernard Grech asked government ministers several times whether they urged their colleagues to take political responsibility for the death of Jean Paul Sofia, but the questions were dismissed due to procedural issues.

The incident, which occurred in December 2022, saw a building under construction collapse in Corradino, leading to a damning public inquiry that held the state culpable for the disaster.

Grech asked Transport Minister Chris Bonett and Education Minister Clifton Grima, in supplementary questions, whether they had asked their colleagues to assume political responsibility for Sofia’s death.

But Speaker Anġlu Farrugia insisted that, as per standing orders and previous rulings, supplementary questions had to be related to the original question. Because of this, minister did not have to reply to Grech.

Bonett emphasised the importance of adhering to parliamentary procedures, insisting that he was not evading the question. Meanwhile Grima urged against exploiting a tragedy for political gain.

Grima also refuted Grech’s claims that he had evaded parliamentary duties earlier in the day, clarifying that his absence during the initial proceedings was due to a prior engagement inaugurating a school in Nadur.

Monday’s parliamentary debate is the third session focused on the Sofia public inquiry report. Previous debates say heated exchanges between opposition and government MPs.

Opposition representatives criticised the government's initial resistance to the inquiry, alleging a lack of empathy and solidarity in its response to the tragedy. They emphasised the need for not only administrative but also political accountability, urging ministers to acknowledge their responsibility for the failures within their respective domains.