Gonzi, Debono engaged in talks, as PN takes stand on Hermann Schiavone

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and backbencher Franco Debono have been holding talks in a bid to avoid a showdown in the wake of the MP's threat not to support government if the justice and home affairs ministry is not split by the end of the year.

Senior government sources have confirmed that the Prime Minister and Debono have been in regular telephone contact over the past days, however it remains unknown the ministerial split will happen before the end of the year, as Debono claims he was promised by Gonzi.

Contacted this morning, Debono would not confirm or deny his talks with the Prime Minister, however he reiterated his position prior to voting with government on the confidence motion, two months ago, that "it should not be business as usual."

Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party has publically declared that Marsaxlokk activist Hermann Schiavone is not a party candidate, adding that "he has been directed not to present himself as one."

It was the first public reaction in three years by the PN on Schiavone, whom Debono had internally incessantly called for censure following the Marsaxlokk activist's allegation, that the MP could have been behind an anonymous letter sent to the party in 2003 which had cost him his candidature on the fifth electoral district. Debono vehemently denied this and even informed the police.

Debono told MaltaToday that he was annoyed at the way the PN administration had never taken any action to either publicly condemn Schiavone for his allegations.

"This matter has eroded my health, and I suffered for months in silence since I am not outspoken" Debono said, adding that he felt hurt to see the party just ignore the fact that an allegation was made in his regard and nothing was done.

Debono explained that he got to know of  the matter  when told by the Prime Minister's chief of staff Edgar Galea Curmi, that Schiavone had pointed him out,  as one of the possible  persons behind the anonymous letter. 

Three years after, the PN stated in comments today that: "it is unacceptable for the party that a serious allegation is made against one of its MPs by a person who then fails to either substantiate the allegation when asked to do so or to withdraw the allegation."

 It added that even though Hermann Schiavone was directed not to present himself as a candidate, "he failed to adhere to these instructions."

The issue surfaced when PN secretary general Paul Borg Olivier said in comments that Debono's remarks were not helping the resolution of justice issues, and that what

Debono was saying was music to Labour's ears. 

In reply, Debono said that "what was music to Labour's ears, was the situation in the law courts, the prisons and the Attorney General's office, and the need for justice reforms which impact people directly."

Debono then spoke of an allegation that "caused untold harm to his health', with reference to the Schiavone allegation.

In his comments to MaltaToday this morning, Franco Debono refused to respond to bloggers and critics in the local media, stressing however that "contrary to the perception they are trying to portray, the issue is not Franco Debono, or minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, but the urgent reforms which are needed to guarantee better democracy in the country. This is not about people but about urgent and serious reforms," he said.

Debono also declared that the justice reforms and Schiavone episode had nothing to do with each other.