The Nationalist Party has remained mum as to whether any action has or will be taken against the six MPs who abstained during last week's vote on a motion put forward by their own party.
The six abstained on an Oppossition motion that called for the revocation of a legal notice granting prospective parents leave to undergo medically assisted procreation. The MPs who abstained were were Mario De Marco, Therese Comodini Cachia, Karl Gouder, Karol Aquilina, Chris Said and former party leader Simon Busuttil.
In their statement, the aforementioned MPs had said that they had requested a free vote, but that it was not accepted. They had said: "In these circumstances, we think the best path to take is one which respects our opinion that this motion runs counter to the principles in which we believe while at the same time respect the decision of the majority of the Parliamentary Group who felt that this motion should be presented. We believe the best way is that we do not participate in the vote called this evening by the Opposition. In matters of conscience, every member of Parliament is obliged to express his vote and we have chosen to express ourselves against this motion through this statement. We are choosing this method since this is the first time when a vote on matters of conscience is being discussed under the leadership of Adrian Delia. We will decide how to proceed on each future vote on matters of conscience."
This newsroom specifically asked the Nationalist Party whether any action has or will be taken against the MPs who abstained, whether anyone from the party leadership has spoken with them about the issue, and for the party's comment on six MPs abstaining from a vote when no free vote was given.
The PN, in in its response, did not answer the first two questions.
"The Nationalist Party is all for assisting couples suffering from infertility problems so much that IVF was introduced in Malta during its time in office. Only Labour's spin states otherwise," the spokesperson said.
"Government's recent legal notice lacked and still lacks coherence with the principle act known as the Embryo Protection Act. It is clear that this legal notice does not agree with the principle legislation and that government wanted to push through the backdoor changes to the principle act, including the introduction of surrogacy, embryo freezing and gamete donation because it lacks the courage and the mandate to do so."
"The Opposition leader is on record stating that he is ready to give a free vote on issues of morality, but it calls for a serious, transparent and informed parliamentary debate where MP's can vote according to conscience. Will the Prime Minister do the same? The Nationalist Party notes that the MP's in question have not voted in favour of government."
Questions were also sent to Former PN Leader Simon Busuttil and former PN Deputy Leader Mario de Marco.
De Marco had, when contacted a few days prior to the PN's response, told this newsroom that "no action has been taken. My decision to abstain was not taken behind anyone's back. My position on the motion when initially proposed was moreover made clear to all from the moment it was discussed."
Asked whether anyone from the party administration met with him after the vote and what was said, de Marco said: "I attended a Party Executive meeting wherein we voted for the Secretary General, Executive President, Administrative President, Treasurer and International Secretary. I am not aware that the matter was raised at any stage."
This is the second time a no free vote situation has seen PN MPs disagree with such a decision, the first having been the marriage equality act, where PN MP Edwin Vassallo did not toe the party line and voted against.
Mario de Marco was asked whether expecting a free vote now, given that when he formed part of the Party leadership no free vote was given to Vassallo, was a contradiction. He said that "Gay marriage was proposed in the PN electoral manifesto for the June 2017 general elections and the vote in parliament on the bill introducing gay marriage was taken only a few weeks after the June 2017 general election. This is why a decision was taken by the Party leadership not to grant a free vote given that all candidates for the PN June 2017 general election had accepted the electoral manifesto when accepting to contest the said general election. There is therefore nothing contradictory in our request for a free vote in these circumstances as they are different."
He went on to say that his abstention has nothing to do with the need or otherwise to change the definition in the Embryo Protection Act. "It has to do with granting leave to all those seeking IVF treatment without fear, favour or distinction."
Simon Busuttil said the party is better placed to reply to the questions sent, and left it up to it to reply.
from The Malta Independent http://ift.tt/2j3KdRc
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