[WATCH] Abela refuses to be drawn into Cardona affair, AD demands removal of Labour deputy

Carmelo Abela refuses to be drawn into Cardona affair

Labour minister Carmel Abela would not commit himself on whether Labour deputy leader Chris Cardona should remain in his party post, after it was alleged in court he could be implicated in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Cardona has denied the claims, suggested in court by Yorgen Fenech’s former associate, now turned State’s evidence, Melvin Theuma.

Abela, who was delivering a press conference on Labour’s electoral manifesto, refused to be drawn into the controversy, insisting he wanted to let the criminal case in court draw its own conclusions.

Abela also said he trusted Maltese institutions to carry out their job and investigate any allegations, but refused to be drawn into whether Cardona – who resigned as MP this year – should retain his Labour Party deputy leadership post.

READ MORE: Cardona dismisses Caruana Galizia murder claims as ‘nonsense, based on lies’

Earlier today, Alternattiva Demokratika called for the Labour Party to remove Cardona as deputy leader.

AD said that in recent months the police had already turned their attention to Cardona in the context of various leads they were following. “So long as the police are left free to act, we are confident that they will investigate all the leads they have in detail,” Alternattiva Demokratika Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo said.  

Cacopardo said it was “high time” the Labour Party got its act together, and under the current circumstances removed Cardona from his post as deputy leader.