Alex Sciberras, Edward Zammit Lewis sceptical, as Jason Micallef wants government to refuse Board of Peace invite

On Monday, Abela was asked whether Malta is invited to join the Board of Peace. He confirmed that Malta received "an informal invitation" to join. The board is an international body set up and chaired by Trump in the hopes of replacing the United Nations.

Among its features, members on the Board of Peace can join for free for the first three years, and will be obliged to pay $1 billion for permanent membership. A number of EU member states have declined their invitation to join over fears that this could replace and undermine the UN.

Abela admitted that Malta would join the board “if it is in the national interest” regardless of whether the EU agrees with such a move.

On Tuesday morning, the PL’s president said that the party was born from the idea that Malta should never be subject to or participate in “the politics of force.”

“We fought for neutrality, for the removal of foreign military bases, and against the war economy…” Sciberras wrote.

He said that the PL’s story is not just a symbol or a nostalgic story, “but is part of our identity and defines how we understand peace.”

Speaking to MaltaToday, Sciberras said that the invitation has not yet been discussed within the party.

"But our founding principles are very clear, and in an uncertain world it is precisely those principles, which have served us well and which have shaped who we are as a movement and as a country, that should continue to guide our decisions," he stated.

"So when Malta considers joining any initiative that claims to work for peace, the real question is not who is behind it, but what kind of peace it represents. Is it a peace that protects the weak, or a peace that accommodates the powerful?"

Edward Zammit Lewis says more clarity on the board is needed before any proper assessment

Meanwhile, Labour MP Edward Zammit Lewis spoke to MaltaToday and stressed that any initiative promoting peace should “complement, and not risk undermining, well-established international institutions such as the EU and the United Nations which have long provided a framework for stability and cooperation among states.”

Zammit Lewis said that he understands Abela’s emphasis on safeguarding Malta’s national interest, adding that such an initiative requires “a measured and cautious assessment.”

Zammit Lewis called for institutions such as the EU and UN to be strengthened in order to preserve “an effective international order that protects the interests of small, sovereign countries.”

The PL MP said that there needs to be more clarity on the mandate, legal basis, and governance of the board “before any consideration of participation could realistically be assessed.”

Questions regarding Malta’s invitation to join the Board of Peace have been sent to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Jason Micallef calls for refusal of Trump's invite

Later on Tuesday, in an unexpected turn of events, the PL's special delegate, Jason Micallef appeared to be on the same page as Labour moderates, as he called on government to refuse the invite.

"An invite is not an obligation," he said. 

"In the current circumstances, Malta's invite to participate in Trump's 'Board of Peace' shouldn't be accepted." Micallef added that on issues such as this, government, "shouldn't give needless oxygen to its political adversaries."