Independent Mellieha councillor warns PN: Locality’s mayorship not yet decided

Independent Mellieha councillor Matthew Borg Cuschieri has warned the Nationalist Party to not “tarnish [his] reputation and integrity”, saying the mayorship post for the locality is yet to be decided.

“If in our reasoning and decisions we do not factor in the 4-4-1 result, and the way the system works, and give my full backing for a full term PN mayorship, then I might as well change my position from an independent and simply turn into a PN councillor,” he said in a Facebook post.

Mellieha is one of three localities, with Birkirkara and Floriana being the two others, with hung councils after the local council election on 8 June.

In Mellieha, the PN and PL each elected four councillors with independent candidate Matthew Borg Cuschieri holding the balance of power. In Mellieħa, the PN won a relative majority of 49.1% against the PL’s 41.4%, while the independent vote hit 8.8%.

Last Sunday, Nationalist leader Bernard Grech said during his speech that the party expects mayorships in Birkirkara and Mellieha. He argued that this expectation stems from the fact the party obtained a “strong relative majority.”

But Borg Cuschieri disagrees with Grech’s statement, saying his argument does not hold.

“The way the system is, as stipulated by the law, a result is clear and decisive when a party gets the majority of seats not simply the majority votes. we have a 4 - 4 - 1 situation therefore that is why we are having negotiations for the simple reason that no one got the majority of seats,” he said on Facebook.

He also explained how in 2008, the Labour Party had obtained the majority of votes, with John Buttigieg getting 1,568 votes, not the majority of seats, and therefore the PN got the mayorship.

He said a compromise can be reached if there is less petty partisanship and stubbornness.

“The result is 4 - 4 - 1 and that is why it is certainly not clear and certainly not decisive,” he said. “Please do not try any tactics to tarnish my reputation and integrity including that of my family.”