[WATCH] Adrian Delia flip-flops on PN’s support for Helena Dalli’s EU nomination

Adrian Delia flip-flops on PN's support for Helena Dalli

Adrian Delia has twice offered the Nationalist Party’s support for Helena Dalli’s nomination to become European Commissioner but this unequivocal stand is no longer clear.

The PN leader was quick to support Dalli’s nomination when her name was announced last July, and again last week when her portfolio was made known by Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president-elect.

The PN’s unconditional stand was confirmed by Roberta Metsola and David Casa last week when a spokesperson told MaltaToday the MEPs will support the nomination.

But this changed over the weekend when in a Facebook post, Casa broke ranks and insisted that Dalli could not hope to secure her post if she did not condemn Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri.

“We expect unequivocal condemnation of this during her Parliament hearing,” Casa wrote.

When asked on Monday morning whether he agreed with Casa’s conditional support, Delia sent out a mixed message.

He insisted that the party’s stand remained “clear and unequivocal” but added that he agreed with Casa’s argument.

However, Delia also tried to justify Casa’s outburst by saying that every party had its “fringes that pushed for more”.

Delia insisted it was unacceptable to have people in government under investigation. “This is what David Casa said and I have no difficulty agreeing with this statement,” the PN leader said.

When pressed whether the PN MEPs will support Dalli’s nomination even if she did not condemn Mizzi and Schembri, Delia insisted he would not speculate.

He added that it was government’s responsibility to safeguard the country’s reputation, more so now after the Moneyval report.

“Our position is clear… Helena Dalli had a very good track record on equality and civil liberties and the portfolio she was given is ideal… but the government is obliged to safeguard the country’s reputation. The problem is not the PN or David Casa… it’s good that the government has nominated Helena Dalli but it should also send the message that people who do wrongdoing are not immune to prosecution or action,” Delia said.