‘I was never suspended’ – former Sliema PN councillor

Former Sliema Nationalist Party candidate Julian Galea has categorically refuted statements by PN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier that Galea's candidature was somehow forcibly suspended, or that he was pressured to resign or leave the party.

Gelea was reacting to claims made by Borg Olivier during a press conference earlier that day where Borg Olivier attempted to attack the Labour Party's stand on the Toni Abela case by insisting that it had approached a similar case involving Galea with a zero-tolerance approach.

Galea gained notoriety for his Labour-phobic comments published prior to the 10 March 2012 local council election, in which he was elected by a whisker after winning the last seat of 11 by a mere seven votes.

He resigned shortly before a Labour office probe into the alleged illegalities in Galea's own snack bar in Valletta. The probe later determined that Galea had not discriminated against his Labour-leaning employees.

In a statement, Galea said he was categorically rebutting Borg Olivier's statement that his candidature was ever suspended by the PN.

"I was present during all the meetings and in no case was I ever put any pressure to resign or leave the party," he insisted.

"After being elected I took the decision with my family that for correctiveness [sic] sake I should resign. Not because I did anything illegal as was proven, but because I was morally incorrect, even though only a fraction of the whole conversation was released to the press."

Galea also said that the decision was discussed "only with the Prime minister in his office and David Agius."

"The Prime Ministers words on my resignation were that I was always welcome within the party and he concluded by saying 'if only everyone in politics were as correct as you are." (li kieku min hu fil politika hu ragel daqshekk)"