PN administrative council to discuss Delia controversy on Monday

The Nationalist Party administrative council will be meeting on Monday to determine what steps will be taken with regard to the controversy surrounding leadership candidate Adrian Delia.

In a statement issued this evening, the PN said that the party had received a request by party councillor Charlot Cassar, who it said had asked the party to take “whatever steps it deemed necessary given the circumstances”.

“He explained that he feels that the party’s paid-up members and councillors had the right to know the facts about the four candidates before making their decision on who they want to lead the party in the coming years,” said the PN in a statement.

The PN added that Cassar had also noted that any candidate facing allegations had the right to defend himself, while also having an obligation to give a full account of his actions to those he expects to put their faith in him to be party leader.

“For this reason, an urgent meeting of the Administrative Council will take place on Monday evening to discuss and determine what steps should be taken according to the provisions of the Nationalist Party statute,” it concluded.

Delia has been accused by journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia of having owned a Jersey bank account which was used to process funds generated from prostitution in London. She has also claimed that the money was collected by the brother of one of Delia’s business partners, and that Delia was fully aware of what was taking place.

Meanwhile, at a press conference held this afternoon, Delia denied ever benefitted from the rental of property in London and insisted that his involvement was only related to legal services he had provided to the owner of the property in question. 

He added that he was not in a position to publish any documentation because of client confidentiality, however he insisted that he had never been involved in any form of money laundering. He also said that legal action had been taken against those who had broken the law.

Despite the allegations brought against him, Delia said he would not be reconsidering his leadership bid because he had done nothing wrong, had never lied, and did not have any political responsibility.