WATCH | Abela and Borg skirt around question on Trump's Nobel Peace Prize nomination

Robert Abela and Alex Borg both dodged the question when asked whether they agreed with Foreign Minister Ian Borg’s nomination of US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Prime Minister and Opposition leader were fielding journalists’ questions outside of PN HQ on Friday after a cordial meeting. They were asked about the nomination one day after it made headlines. 

Borg’s nomination of Trump prompted criticism, not least from labour-leaning opinionists, as they noted Trump’s and the United States’ facilitation of violence in Gaza.

Trump has made it no secret that he wishes to receive a Nobel Peace Prize. When Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado won the prize on Friday, Trump’s White House slammed its foot over its perception that “The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”

READ ALSO | How Ian Borg’s Trump nomination makes a mockery of justice

On Friday, Abela described Trump as “a catalyst for peace,” before quickly changing the subject to Malta’s work in the international community.

When asked point blank whether he believed Trump should’ve been nominated, Abela said, “The message Ian [Borg] sent was in favour of peace, and as we agree on peace, I send the same message in favour of peace.”

MaltaToday asked Abela whether he saw the same qualities in María Corina Machado, who is opposing an authoritarian regime in Venezuela, in Donald Trump, Abela invited this newsroom to look at who she dedicated her award to. 

In her reaction to her award, Machado said, “We are on the threshold of victory and today more than ever we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our main allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.”

Abela again stressed Malta’s work in the international scene but refused to mention Trump, dismissing the issue as a question that “won’t lead to anywhere.”

On the other hand, while Alex Borg’s failed to answer the question, his was shorter than the Prime Minister’s reply.

Borg stressed that he has faith in the Nobel Committee and its process.

He noted the divergence on the issue in the Labour Party, noting that the PL’s president, Alex Sciberras, who distanced himself from Ian Borg’s nomination.

When pressed again, Borg repeated that he has faith in the Nobel Committee, and said that it is time to move on.