PN blasts Speaker for 'acting with political bias and furthering partisan interests'

The Nationalist Party has raised concerns over the way Speaker Anġlu Farrugia is leading parliament, accusing him of acting with political bias and hindering the opposition’s constitutional role. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the PN said parliament needs to be led by a speaker who is impartial and does not “serve the partisan interests of government.”  

The opposition argued that Speaker Farrugia has consistently demonstrated prejudice against the PN parliamentary group, continuing with the same attitude when he was deputy leader of the Labour Party. 

The PN accused the Speaker of issuing rulings that are inconsistent and contrary to parliamentary customs and traditions.

The PN also criticised the Speaker’s repeated refusal to allow urgent debates on critical national issues. These included discussions on the death of Jean Paul Sofia, the €400 million fraud linked to the Vitals and Steward healthcare deal, the large-scale drug theft that took place under the watch of the AFM, the collapse of Air Malta, the Ombudsman’s findings on abuses at the Corradino Correctional Facility, and the resignation or dismissal of key government figures.

In addition to blocking these debates, the PN accused the Speaker of protecting government officials from accountability in his role as chairman of the Standards in Public Life Committee. The opposition claimed that he either voted against or abstained from sanctioning ministers and parliamentary secretaries who were found guilty of ethical breaches. Furthermore, the PN noted that the Speaker has failed to provide its MPs with the same protection he grants to government MPs, even in cases where they have been subjected to threats, insults, and false allegations.  

The opposition expressed frustration that Speaker Farrugia takes no action when ministers fail to answer parliamentary questions on time or adequately respond to requests for documentation. The PN accused him of restricting the number of sittings allocated for debating bills and motions put forward by opposition MPs, limiting these discussions to just one session every six months.  

The PN said it will request an urgent meeting with Farrugia, where a delegation will present its position directly and demand immediate remedies.

“It is truly condemnable that Prime Minister Robert Abela, following in his predecessor’s footsteps, continues to manipulate and control Speaker Anġlu Farrugia to silence and obstruct PN MPs from fulfilling their constitutional duties as the opposition.”

Speaker rejects claims questioning his impartiality

In response to the PN statement, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia affirmed his “unwavering commitment to upholding the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives” 

He rejected allegations questioning his impartiality, stating that his decisions are not arbitrary but are based on parliamentary precedent and established legal frameworks.

The Speaker said that his rulings, including those concerning urgent debates, follow long-standing principles applied consistently by previous Speakers. He also noted that the Standing Orders provide a formal mechanism for contesting his decisions within two days, and no such contestation has been filed.

Farrugia noted that maintaining order in parliament is a fundamental part of his role, and any necessary measures taken against disruptive members are based on parliamentary rules rather than political considerations. 

The Speaker also reiterated that he has often acknowledged concerns raised by MPs and has encouraged bipartisan discussions to revise the Standing Orders, particularly on issues like replies to parliamentary questions.

PL accuses Karol Aquilina of forcing party's hand in criticising the Speaker

Meanwhile, the Labour Party described the PN's statement as evidence that Karol Aquilina is the party's "de facto leader."

"Aquilina's hysterical attacks on Dr. Farrugia brought him widespread condemnation, and many of his parliamentary colleagues refrained from backing him up," the PL said.

The party stated that Aquilina's goal is to get PN MPs on his side in these "attacks."

"As for the rest of the PN MPs, who in private say that Aquilina is embarrassing them, now is the time to stand up and be counted."