PN Says Three Cabinet Members Didn’t Vote - They Were Abroad

During yesterday’s vote in Parliament on the government’s motion to appoint Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera as Chief Justice, 39 government members voted in favour while 34 opposition members voted against.

Net News reported that three Cabinet ministers did not vote on the motion, prompting claims from the Nationalist Party that this affected the outcome.

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti clarified that he, along with two other ministers, was abroad at the time of the vote.

Speaking from the United Kingdom, Azzopardi Tanti said he was engaged in research initiatives related to cancer care. He rejected media claims that he had failed to support the nomination, calling them false and accusing the opposition of being “divided, desperate and dishonest”.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister also explained that his absence from the sitting was due to government work in Athens. He emphasised that he had supported the nomination of Scerri Herrera during the Cabinet meeting the previous day and criticised opposition claims that he had deliberately abstained.

Minister for Education and Sports Clifton Grima also issued a video statement, given that he, too, was abroad during the vote and was likely also being referred to in the statement by the Opposition that some cabinet members did not vote with the government's motion.

Grima said that the opposition is attempting to confuse and spread lies given that they did not vote due to them being abroad for work.

#MaltaDaily