Busuttil: Speaker's decision to stop questions on Keith Schembri’s bank accounts was a mistake

Former Nationalist party leader Simon Busuttil insisted that Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia made a mistake when he decided to stop two parliamentary questions from being made about the prime minister’s chief of staff.

Last week, Busuttil asked whether the prime minister’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri, owned a bank account in Dubai or in Pilatus Bank, in two parliamentary questions.

“Every member has a right to ask,” Busuttil said. “I asked you to reconsider, as the matter is of public interest. Despite this, you kept to your decision,” he added, addressing the Speaker.

The parliamentary questions were barred as they were not considered to be of public interest.

Busuttil requested a ruling from the Deputy Speaker instead, as he claimed that Speaker Farrugia has made a “mistaken decision” twice, and since, according to Busuttil, he is “going against principles of natural justice”.

The Speaker rejected the request and informed Busuttil that he can appeal the decision.