Updated | PN branches want political responsibility to be shouldered over 'mess' in executive co-option vote

Both the Nationalist Party’s youth branch and its professional section have called for political responsibility to be shouldered over the “mess” and “alleged fraudulent wrongdoing” in last Saturday’s co-option vote in the party’s executive.

In a Facebook post on Monday morning, MZPN said it will be analysing the current situation this week and draw up a full report and analysis for internal consumption.

“Enough is enough, and we demand that political responsibility be shouldered - at least out of respect for the thousands of voters and volunteers who gave their time, faith and effort - by those involved in the mess emanating from last Saturday’s vote in the executive committee,” MZPN said.

The statement was released in the wake of Saturday’s meeting of the executive in which a vote was taken to co-opt Jean Pierre Debono to Parliament instead of David Stellini, who resigned.

Debono’s co-option was confirmed by 42 votes against 40 obtained by Gozitan Kevin Cutajar. Cutajar enjoyed the backing of Simon Busuttil’s faction and the PN’s Gozo representatives, while Debono was backed by party leader Adrian Delia.

Subsequently, serious accusations were made that the vote was vitiated because two members on the committee – David Stellini and treasurer David Camilleri – allegedly were not eligible to vote.

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Mark Anthony Sammut, who resigned from executive committee president, blamed Debono for the mess, while Debono retorted by saying that Sammut had the voting list beforehand.

Debono’s parliamentary co-option has so far been temporarily postponed by the PN but party sources have suggested that Debono is not likely to give up easily.

In its statement, the MZPN said it had always stood out with an “unwavering voice, unorthodox approach and the willingness to break ranks with whatever and whoever is labelled as 'The Establishment'”.

“Let MZPN be the first party branch to say what needs to be said. The current situation is untenable, and represents a new low… We must stand up to be counted - not just when the going is easy, but especially and more importantly, when the going gets tough,” the youth section said.

In a subsequent post, the PN’s Forum Professjonisti (FPPN), also called for political responsibility to be shouldered.

“Our actions today are certainly going to affect future generations. We cannot use the democracy card on the one hand, only to deprive the democratic will of an entire district on the other,” the PN branch said, adding that the party could not act as though it was business-as-usual.

“We are demanding that political responsibility be shouldered by all those who are refusing to view the clear electoral result as a damning one. We are demanding that political responsibility be shouldered and action take, against whom, in any way, may have contributed to the alleged fraudulent wrongdoing in last Saturday’s co-option vote held at the Executive Committee meeting.”

The FPPN said that “those of us who occupy statutory positions within the party have a duty” towards the party and what it represents, as well as the thousands who view it as “the last bastion of hope”.

“We must stand up to be counted,” the FPPN said.