Updated | PN urges government to do its bit to resolve Libyan crisis

The Nationalist Party has accused the government of being unprepared for dealing with the ongoing crisis in Libya, while urging it to do its part in finding a resolution.

In a statement on Tuesday, the PN said that it was concerned with the latest developments, adding that the ongoing conflict would kill hopes of strengthening the democratic process in time to hold elections by the end of the year.

The PN said it joined the international community in supporting countries engaged in mediation between warring factions.

READ MORE: Libya declares state of emeregency as death toll reaches 39

“The use of weapons only results in death and destruction and this is not a step in the right direction for a country that has already been through a lot,” the PN said.

The party added that it could not help but note that the “Maltese government has again found itself unprepared to deal with the developing situation”.

This, it said, had even been pointed out by Malta’s ambassador to Libya Carmelo Saliba, who had told the parliamentary committee for the scrutiny of public appointments that Malta had was no longer focused on what was going on in the country. “It is clear that our country has first and foremost lost its strong strategic position in the diplomatic world, and secondly that, contrary to what had happened in the past, is also risking the lives of Maltese citizens in Libya,” the PN said.

READ MORE: Fighting in Libya will continue until one side is obliterated or resigns

It appealed to the government to do whatever was necessary to return Maltese citizens to Malta, while also “safeguarding Malta’s reputation and national interests” by directly entering negotiations intended to bring about peace and stability.

PN being partisan on matters of national interest – PL

Reacting to the statement the Labour party accused the PN of “not missing a single occasion to be partisan”.

“Even in circumstances where it is important for the country to be united, and where the national interest should be a priority, the Nationalist Party chose to go down the road of confrontation through baseless arguments,” the PL said.

It said that statements, such as that claiming that Malta had lost its strategic position in international diplomacy makes the PN appear like a “negative party”.

This was especially true, the Labour Party said, when considering that Malta had played an important role, so much so that had been chosen to host a number of summits related to the situation in Libya.

“The Nationalist Party should stop being partisan on every subject under the sun and in delicate moments avoid issuing statements in a hurry and without any factual basis.”