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Opposition withdraws procedural motion, government proposes no-confidence debate should start on Monday
Opposition accuses government of filibustering, withdraws procedural motion to debate no-confidence motion on Thursday.
16 January 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
The Opposition has withdrawn its procedural motion to debate a no-confidence motion on Thursday, and accepted to have the no-confidence motion debated in parliament next Monday.
However, Opposition whip Joe Mizzi insisted a time should be allocated for each speaker, while Leader of the House Carm Mifsud Bonnici said he was against imposing any time limits to the MPs during their speech.
Mizzi, who said an allocation of 1 hour and 30 minutes for each MP was more than enough, said the Committee should meet again to set the times. Mizzi also said they should set the time by when the debate should conclude. Mifsud Bonnici denied Mizzi's request adding that the Parliament's agenda was set.
But before concluding the session, Speaker Michael Frendo called on the whips of the two sides of the House to find "a way forward from where the Leader of the House has left".
Forty-five minutes into the meeting of the House Business Committee where government and opposition MPs argued over which motion presented by the Opposition should be discussed first, the meeting was suspended when the Opposition chose to withdraw its motion of procedure.
On Friday, Labour MP Anglu Farrugia presented a motion of no-confidence together with a procedural motion which set the day and time for the no-confidence motion to be discussed.
Mifsud Bonnici this evening accused the Opposition of presenting a "guillotine" motion which did not give the MPs enough time to discuss the motion in Parliament.
In return, Farrugia offered Mifsud Bonnici for both sides to discuss how long each MP should speak - "even for 40 hours if you want".
Mizzi accused Mifsud Bonnici of filibustering over the time awarded to MPs to debate the motion, but called for a suspension of the sitting after Mifsud Bonnici said the no-confidence motion should be discussed on Monday.
When the committee resumed, Mifsud Bonnici insisted that it did not make sense for the Opposition to first present a procedural motion, than withdraw it. "The Opposition's mask has fallen and their thirst for power is clear," he said, adding that MPs should be left in the liberty to speak for as long as they wanted to.
When Mizzi accused him of delaying time, Mifsud Bonnici retorted that he was not: "I was a lawyer and you know well enough how capable I am of delaying time. But that is not what I'm doing."
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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How ironic !!/ Dr. Karm wants to give everyone a chance to express himself on the confidence motion. Lest we forget..... When the Independence Constitution was brought for discussion before Parliament in 1964, a guillotine motion was presented by the PN Government depriving opposition members from discussing properly the constitution. At that time the opposition consisted of four parties. To top it all, the Independent Constitution was passed in just ONE sitting !!. How's that for democracy ?. And here we're talking about A Constitution !!. These people never change.
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Issa bdjet nifhem għafejn mar jiltaqa ma Gaddhafi. Zgur mhux biex iġieb iż-żejt b'xejn bħal ma kien jgħamel dak li kellu il-boċċi.
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Issa bdjet nifhem għafejn mar jiltaqa ma Gaddhafi. Zgur mhux biex iġieb iż-żejt b'xejn bħal ma kien jgħamel dak li kellu il-boċċi.
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@superman: Jien nahseb li kull min jaghti kaz ta jgalea ghandu bzonn l-ghajnuna. Mintomx tindunaw illi qieghed jitmejjel bikom u biex jahrakhom. Jien nghid illi jgalea laburist IZJED minn Joseph ;)
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Jgalea- Ghandek bzonn l-ghajnuna habib!!!!
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DEMOCRACY=OLIGARCHY
The ruin of oligarchy is the ruin of democracy; the same disease magnified and intensified by liberty overmasters democracy —the truth being that the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction; and this is the case not only in the seasons and in vegetable and animal life, but above all in forms of government. True. The excess of liberty, whether in states or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery. Yes, the natural order. And so tyranny naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme form of liberty?
PLATO
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DEMOCRACY=OLIGARCHY
The ruin of oligarchy is the ruin of democracy; the same disease magnified and intensified by liberty overmasters democracy —the truth being that the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction; and this is the case not only in the seasons and in vegetable and animal life, but above all in forms of government. True. The excess of liberty, whether in states or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery. Yes, the natural order. And so tyranny naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme form of liberty?
PLATO
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DEMOCRACY=OLIGARCHY
The ruin of oligarchy is the ruin of democracy; the same disease magnified and intensified by liberty overmasters democracy —the truth being that the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction; and this is the case not only in the seasons and in vegetable and animal life, but above all in forms of government. True. The excess of liberty, whether in states or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery. Yes, the natural order. And so tyranny naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme form of liberty?
PLATO
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JIEN KAPACCISSMU BIEX INTAWWAL - qal Karm Mifsud Bonnici l-bierah waqt il-laqgha tal-House Business Committee. Tghid mhux hekk !!!! Qabel xejn irid ikollok x'ittawwal - u ma tantx jien konvint li karm mifsud bonnici ghandu xi jtawwal avolja t-times ta' siehbu demarco tghidlu "well prepared"!!! Jista' forsi jtawwal imniehru (flok xi haga ohra) u jikkonvincina ferm aktar ghax ikun jista' jsib postu mal-klikka ixxurtjata ta' gonzipn li ghalihom il-gideb huma t-tieni gilda taghhom.
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Meta kien hemm il-kwistjoni ta l- Arriva u F. Debono astjena mil vot , ftit wara Dr Gonzi talab vot ta fiducja fil-gvern , ghax qal li Malta ma tistax tkun bi gvern instabbli , u qal ukoll li dan huwa messagg lil UE li il-gvern ghandu maggoranza u hu stabbli. Dr Gonzi kien qal b`mod sartastiku fil-parlament , ( indirizza lil Dr J.Muscat) , " Jekk ridt konferma li l-gvern hu stabbli issa ghandek ir-risposta ".
Mela allura issa ghaliex dan id-dewmien u tlaqliq , sur Gonzi kun ragel u mur ghal vot ta` fiducja ghax skond kliemek stess Malta ma tistax tibqa` hekk.
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Bhalissa it-tmun qieghed f'idejn il PN, ghax huma fil Gvern u huma jittettaw ghax ghandom il maggoranza, pero qed juruna kemm ghnandom kilba ghal poter, ma tarax jitilfu is €6000 li issa sirna nafu bihom ukoll, kull gurnata tfaqqa xi skandlu u dan mhux il PL qed jikxifom imma it TOM gazzetta taghhom stess, aktar ma jghaddi il hin aktar jinkixef il hmieg, Franco Debono jaf hafna aktar min hekk u jekk jibda jikxef jinfetah is-sema u il -poplu jkun jaf xjigri wara il kwinti bhal ma hbewlna is €600 fil gimgha zieda.S'issa ghadu ma qal xejn imma jekk idejquh izjed u jekk nibdew nisimaw aktar il PN jitlef is-sahha.
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I think that if Dr Gonzi, Mifsud Bonnici and Gatt resign, the PN will be saved. What is keeping them from resigning? The sun will stop shinning if these let go? Or is it the case that the PN belongs to few individuals, whilst the rest are simply supposed to play put and obey orders?
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Kien hemm min jaghmel parti mil PN u qal li Franco ma ghandux ragun, Franco tifel zghir, Franco mignun, Franco hadha kontrha il gvern ghax ried jilhaq ministru etc etc.....milli qed nara hawn, jidher bic car min ghandu ragun jekk hux Franco jew ex kollegi tieghu.
Kompli ghaffeg pn, kompli gebbed iz-zmien, forsi tilhaq taghmel xi pjaciri sa kemm tasal l elezzjoni, pero ormai kulhadt jaf min ihobb il poter jekk hux gonzipn jew il pl !!!
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When Mizzi accused him of delaying time, Mifsud Bonnici retorted that he was not: "I was a lawyer and you know well enough how capable I am of delaying time. But that is not what I'm doing.
Malta demokratika.tal biki u misthija
Lawrence Covin •
All this is like a terminally-ill patient being given more and more drugs to extend his miserable existence by a few weeks.
Still, the desperate ones will put those weeks to good use: at least, they hope, PN will not end up with just 20 members on the Opposition benches. Maybe they will have time to cover up some filth too. One suspects the 500 euro thing was just the tip of the iceberg.
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BIS SEWWA JEW BID DNEWWA, BIT TAJJEB JEW BIL FOTTIMENTI, JEW BL GHAJNUNA TA ALLA. KOLLOX IHALTU..L AQWA LI NERBHU...
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The specter for the PN will sooner or later appear. GonziPN will soon be out of office. It is the beginning of their end. They know it.
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Din tidher mossa sabiex ma jaghtux head start lil PL fil-konferenza Generali ta nhar il-Hadd li gej. Ghalhekk nahseb li gie imtawwal ghat-Tnejn id-dibattitu ta vot ta sfiducja. Il-PN jafu li ma Dr Franco mhux se jintlahaq ftehim on their grounds. Pero jidher li lil Dr Franco aktar harquh u la jasal il-dibattitu joghrokhom wahda kif imiss u jivvota bil-qalb favur il-mozzjoni ta sfiducja.
Joseph Sant •
Frankly this is neither here nor there. Labour is in no rush for an election after all. Let GonziPN take as much rope as they wish - the better to hang themselves. Don't worry - be happy. :D
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Franco Debono - il vuci ta' min ma ghandux lehen. Grazzi Franco.
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Very well Mifsud Bonnici ,keep prolonging the issue and inventing excuses to delay this blessed vote . You are only putting more nails in the coffin of the PN ......and by the way i'm a nationalist . This is 2012 not the 70's or 80's . I'm watching francis zammit dimech talking out of his a** on inkontri and to be honest i feel like vomiting . Hysterical !!!!
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@jgalea - Int bis-serjeta' jew qed tilghaba tal-iblah t'alla?
@fenea - karm mifsud bonnici qieghed ikompli jaghzaq bhala Leader of the House kif ghamel meta kien ministru tal-gustizzja u ntern. Ghax billi jkollok kunjomok double-barrelled u popolari ma jfissirx li int maqtugh ghall-pulitka. Ghandna ohrajn bhalu fil-parlament.
Din il-prokrastinazzjoni qed isservi biex erba' boloh bhal Antoine Vella u ohrajn jiehdu ftit tan-nifs. Il-kbir ghad gej.
Ian George Walker •
It is a well know fact that insecure people become aggressive, to hide the insecurity.
We saw a perfect example today - the usually calm and courteous Mifusd Bonnici became aggressive and uncouth - he must be feeling VERY insecure.
Ian George Walker •
It is a well know fact that insecure people become aggressive, to hide the insecurity.
We saw a perfect example today - the usually calm and courteous Mifusd Bonnici became aggressive and uncouth - he must be feeling VERY insecure.
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Franco jivvota mal PN taghna. FULSTOP. Il PN qied fil gvern bil grazja ta Alla :)
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PL qed jaspira li jkun fil gvern. lanqas biss jafu xi jridu. karm mifsud bonnici ghoqda gabhom lil anglu u joe mizzi.
Ian George Walker •
If the PN thinks it can prolong the debate indefinetly, it had better study the Standing Orders. Standing Order No 16(1) reads as follows:
16. (1) After a question has been proposed and debated for not less than an hour a Member may claim to move "that the question be now put", and, unless it shall appear to the Chair that such motion is an abuse of the rules of the House, or an infringement of the rights of the minority, the question "That the question be now put" shall be put forthwith and decided without amendment or debate.
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If the government, against all other advices, even by commercial sectors, wants to spent the rest of the legislature (March/June 2013) debating this motion of non confidence, it is up to him. Finally Gonzi PN Government will carry the brunt. Why should the Labour Opposition throw itself in the midst of fire when a very hard economic year is being forecast because of the situation in the Eurozone. Let Gonzi PN, instead of finding a suitable solution in the best interest of the country, looks more at the NP 'pjaciri' interest in the midst of the maybe economic turmoil which looms ahead.
As Lawrence Gonzi says in his slogan "Is-sewwa jirbah zgur" the day of reckoning with the Maltese electorate will some day or other arrive. To a certain point it also depends on what position Franco Debono will be taking. I am convinced he is a true Nationalist, but how more Maltese is he after all more than a PN lackey? despite all this talk against Gonzi's maladministration.
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This reminds me of that 1 hour extension that was given during last election .Bad move .Time heals wounds Comprendi
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Aw xi hadd qed jifrah li din tal-Gvern hija rebha. U qed imur oltre u jghid li hija rebha ghad demokrazija. Mela issa car u bil-provi kemm dan il-Gvern ma ghandux hjiel ta' x' jigifieri demokrazija. Lanqas xamma ta' xi tkun demokrazija ma fadallu, u jekk xi darba kellu, din intilfet f'labirint mimli b'qerq, gideb u tajjir, li ma jmurx il-Gvern jitlef it-tronn tal-poter.
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@ Antoine Vella - ''Franco Debono this evening strongly criticised the decision taken by Leader of the House Carm Mifsud Bonnici for the parliamentary debate on the no-confidence motion to start today week''. Mur sewwi mohhok!
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Dr Mifsud Bonnici, Following this evening's handling of the Business House Committee I have no option but to concur with Dr Debono. YOU MUST GO.
Ian George Walker •
@ Antoine Vella
In what way do you equate filibustering as a victory for democracy? Please explain.
Why is the PN so terrified of the people's voice?
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A victory - albeit a minor one - for democracy in Malta. The debate will start today week - conclusion date unknown.
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Issa donnhom in-Nazzjonalist rega bdielhom u lil Franco Debone jriduh lura fi hdanhom. Sewwa l-ewwel jghajruh, traditur u minn kollox,jattakkawh personalment u bil-familja b'kollox u anke jibbottawh bit-tfajla tieghu u qalulu li ordnawlu biex jirrezenja minn deputat ghax ma jriduhx maghhom u issa qed jipprovaw itawlu halli forsi dan il-povru Franco Debono jerga jibdielu. Mela xi hsibtuh lil Franco Debono intom Nazzjonalisti, tahsbu li Franco Debono xi mbecilli, jew xi fidil. Ghalhekk dak iz-zieghejl ta' Edwin Vassallo nhar io-Gimgha fuq Xarabank ghax is-sur Vassallo bhal donnu ried jghidlu ara lili nehhewni minn Segretarju Parlamentari u xorta bqajt mat-tema immexxi mil-coach Gonzi imma jiena nghidlu lis-sur Vassallo li jitla kemm il-drba jitla u jgib kemm igib voti qatt m'ghandu cans li jkun fil-kabinett dment li jkun hemm Gonzi jew xi deputat coach tieghu ghax dak ma jahfru qatt u darba tiftah halqhek m'ghandekx cans terga tiehu nifs. Proset Dr. Debono inti ragel u kapaci zzomm il-kelma tieghek li jew jitlaq min zbalja (ministri) jew inkell jerfa r-responsabilta Dr.Gonzi stess u jwarrab hu. Veru l-qatt il-musmar fuq rasu gahx veru hekk ghandu jsir.
Luke Camilleri •
Monday? well there will definitely be another show of JOY aand PRAISE and Halleluliah with bell ringing, horn blowing and waving of palms and olive branches in praise of the one and only Lawrence Gonzi !
Lawrence Gonzi , the Leader with a HEART, the one he voted with to increase surcharges on utility bills!
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The PN is trying to delay the vote as long as possible.Shameful.
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As I see it, this is a win for GonziPN's strategists, all set to buy more time to seek a way out of this mess, even perhaps by mounting more pressure on Franco Debono.
Franco Debono seems resolute in his beliefs. However, I will not be surprised if GonziPN comes up with some sort of trick at the 11th hour.
On the other hand, could the PL MPs have blocked the decision taken by Carm Mifsud Bonnici? If in the affirmative, I would say that the PL is weak here. I have my doubts whether the Oppositioncan can actually block the decision of the Leader of the House.
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IMMA DAWN IZ ZEWG BOLOH BIL HAJJA NISRANIJJA MALTIJJA?? NISRANIJJA FEJN, MIN? GHAX NOQODU INWERZQU QUDDIEM STATWI NISRANIN MA AHNIEX. U LANQASC LI JONNA XANDU XJAQSAM MAL POLITICA. QAZZIZTUNA. MORRU FUQ IT TOM HEMM HAFNA BHALKOM HEMM. BOLOH U BALALI,...
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Tghid Gonzipn qed jimxi fuq xi pariri li seta tah Qaddafi meta ltaqa mieghu bhal daz-zmien sena. Kien kollu ghalxejn li tawwal Qaddafi ghax hu spicca u l-oppozizzjoni li ukoll kienet ila taht il-hakma, fl-ahhar rebhet u rebhet bil-kbir.
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Napella il-PM biex immur ghand il-President ta'Malta u tieh parir biex ixxoljiej il-Parlament u sejjah Elezzjoni,din aktar ma ddum sejra aktar ghar ghal pajjiz u ghal PN.l-ewwelnett ghal pajjiz minhabba l-instabbilta li hawn u tieni il-PN aktar ma jdum jista jispicca fil-fazijiet fil-fatt qed naraw deputati ma jaqbliu mal-istill li qed imexxi l-PM mill-anqas tliet deputati hemm kif ukoll hemm kandidat li kien se johrog mal-PN issa le.
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Tghid Gonzipn qed jimxi fuq xi pariri li seta tah Qaddafi meta ltaqa mieghu bhal daz-zmien sena. Kien kollu ghalxejn li tawwal Qaddafi ghax hu spicca u l-oppozizzjoni li ukoll kienet ila taht il-hakma, fl-ahhar rebhet u rebhet bil-kbir.
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@ Antoine Vella
Qisu ghandek xi breakdown idoqq l-iskotti Antoine - x'tikteb tal-hmerijiet dan l-ahhar. Mhux ahjar terga' tidhol taht il-blata.
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@Antonie Vella.
Habib Alla maghna. Nirringrazjaw lill Bambin li is socjalisti b mod naive ghazlu lil Joe u lil Anglu, u ikkonfermaw li is socjalizmu huwa hsara ghal hajja Nisranija Maltija.
Zack Depasquale •
GonziPn are scared stiff of the vote of no confidence, that is why they are filibustering. No matter what, an election will be held, now or in one year time GonziPN will still loose. As Dr Joseph Muscat said, Labour is in no hurry.On the other hand if Dr Franco Debono supports the Government, which I very much doubt, it will backfire on Dr Gonzi because he will be shown as someone who will bend over backwards as long as he keeps his seat and his 6000Eur allowances. What a shame democracy in Malta has become under GonziPN.
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jilhaq isiefer jekk irid il gonz.x 'kummidja din.Ma nafx ghalfien sejjer jekkse jitlifa,hahahaha
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Anglu huwa il weakness point tas socjalisti. Keep it up Dr. Mifsud Bonnici. Ejja nikkonvincu lil Franco, biex l elezjoni namluha meta irridu ahna, u NIRBHUHA AHNA :)
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A victory - albeit a minor one - for democracy in Malta. The debate will start today week - conclusion date unknown.
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There would be no sense in delaying the debate by a couple of days unless the PN thought that Franco Debono might be wavering. He simply needs more time.
Joseph Sant •
Bzaqtha fl-ahhar jgalea... ha! ha! lapsus din. Iva bid-dnewwa - hekk hu! Bis-sewwa qatt!
Zack Depasquale •
Facism at its worst no more no less, European Union please note that democracy in Malta is not existent.
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Oppozizzjoni bla bajd.....
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Rebha ohra ghal PN :) Bhis sewwa jew bid dnewwa NIRBHU ZGUR!!! Il Bambin idawwal mohh Franco, u jivvota mal gvern. Post il PN huwa fil gvern ghal dejjem :)
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"JIEN KAPACISSMU BIEX INTAWWAL" --- GHADNI KIF SMAJTHA ISS'ISSA B'WIDNEJJA MINN FUQ L-INTERNET WAQT TRASMISSJONI DIRETTA TAL-HOUSE BUSINESS COMMITTEE --- TAL-GHAGEB F'HIEX WASALNA !!!!!
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I'm sorry guys, but it seems that Labour never learns. Isn't it obvious that all that Gonzipn wants is to buy as much time as possible to put pressure on Franco Debono ? Tire him out or find some way to appease him ? wasn't the lesson of the last election enough, when PL conceded to leave the polling booths open for an extra hour ?
OMG, and to permit an imbecille like Carm Mifsud Bonnici hoodwink you .... I give up!
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Zball min naha taghkhom Anglu. Minjaf kif se jibbumbardjaw lil Franco matul din il gimgha. Bondi+, Xarabank, Dissett, l-ahbarijiet tal PBS, dawn kollha se jahdmu biex idawru is sitwazzjoni favur taghhom Mela PL qatt ma jitghallem. Insewh il Terinu? Jew forsi listorja ma jafuhiex?
