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Prime Minister denies party is in election drive
Popular anti-censorship move not dictated by electoral concerns, says PM.
19 January 2012, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
Party not yet in election mode, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has denied the Nationalist Party is in an electoral campaign, after fielding questions from the press today in a visit to the Frosch Touristik International group of companies.
Gonzi was questioned on whether new measures and projects, such as the relaxation of the much-maligned censorship laws this week, were part of the government's election drive as it faces the possibility of losing a no-confidence vote next week.
"These measures have been announced because they are the fruit of the work of four years the initiatives my government has taken. It was the time to announce them," Gonzi said of this week's popular move to jettison the censorship of theatre productions, and instead opt for self-regulation.
Gonzi said "It is only logical that during the fourth year of the legislature a number of government's projects are coming to fruition. We have been working on the the changes to censorship laws for the last two years."
The prime minister has also denied his government was in an electoral campaign, and said that he stands by the decision of the PN parliamentary group that rebel backbencher Franco Debono resign his seat in parliament.
Tourism and culture minister Mario de Marco this week unveiled a draft law for the self-regulation of theatre productions. With the appeal by Unifaun Theatre against a court decision upholding the ban of the controversial play Stitching yet to be heard, de Marco said a new system of self-regulation will allow producers to set age limits for audiences on new guidelines.
In the meantime, former Nationalist party secretary-general Joe Saliba has set up base inside the PN headquarters as he prepares to take the helm of yet another electoral campaign. While Paul Borg Olivier, the present secretary-general since 2008, will be involved in the party's electoral strategy, Saliba will be joined by transport minister Austin Gatt and permanent representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana in carving out the party's election strategy.
Early yesterday morning, the heavy blue steel structures for party billboards were elevated using a crane from a large field just a few metres away from the Magħtab landfill entrance.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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I saw a comment on TOM about this issue , in which Mr.A.M.Galea said that the Prime Minister is right in saying that he is not in election mode because he is in the exit mode . A very good comment and a very cheeky one too .
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Why are you all susrprised? Why are you assuming that just because there is election fever has taken l-Istamperija, Gonziknows about it? Are you sure that the 3 stooges Gatt- RCC-Saliba bothered to inform Gonzi that they have shifted gear in election mode? Don't you know who the real PM is? I suspect that Dr Gonzi will realise that an election is near either by coming out of his grotesque stuporesque denial, or when one of the candidates knocks on his adn Katie's door for a pre-election visit! Hellooooooooo!!!!!!
Jeffrey Vella •
OF COURSE NOT !
I AM SURE ALL PROJECTS THAT ARE SUDDENLY POPPING UP HERE AND THERE ARE JUST A MERE COINCIDENCE.
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As if we believe our PM! He has said so many lies in the last four years that we have become used to believing the opposite of anything he says. Irrespective of whether Gonzi wins or loses the confidence vote next week, it is an inalienable fact that the PN is in full election mode, just in case he loses it. Only this time round he would little opportunity to do what he did in 2008.
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One of the reasons why the upcoming elections will be an act of liberation for some Nationalist MPs and many genuine Nationalists. Look at what Jesmond Mugliett has written on Facebook:
https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/jippriedkaw-haga-u-jaghmlu-ohra-bhas-soltu/
Luke Camilleri •
Mhux Prim Ministru ghandna...imma Joker bla kredibilita ta' xejn!
U dawk il-Billboards kollha ibbukjat mill PN , ghal fejn inkru biex ibieghu il-figolli kif kien jaghmel l-ex-Tezorier Peter Darmanin?
Min irrid jithaq b'min?
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Sur Prim Ministru HADT MGHADU JEMNEKK!!!! Tista tejdli dawk il blokokk tal-konkos fuq il bankini xqedien jaghmlu? x'gi jaghmel Joe Saliba ul bella kumpanija? u hallina!!!
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mela insejtu li fl-ahhar il-giddieb jibda jemmen lilu innifsu hbieb?
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Dr Gonzi seems to be the only one denying that the country is in election mode. GonziPN no longer garners and credibility and that is why I believe that the no confidence vote will pass through parliament, possibly with a bigger margin than just one vote in favour of the motion brought forward by the opposition!
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Jiena ma nistax nifhem kif jibqa jitwemmen dan ir-ragel. Affarijiet li qed jigru quddiem ghajnena u jghid li mhux veru!! Ahseb u ara dawk li ma' jidhrux!!
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May I make a suggestion so that we may have an election every year. That way
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Dr.Gonzi, Mela ghalfejn diga tghajtu ufficju lil ex segretarju Joe Saliba? Forsi ghax hemm elezzjoni fil qrib /
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Three laws were passed in a week.....and we are 'not' in election mode. So what will we be expecting when GonziPN goes into election mode; promises galore, free tickets by Air Malta, free tickets by Euro Tours? Dejjem jghaddu biz-zmien lin-nies!
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Nobody believes you Dr Gonzi.How come dr Said is canvassing at Nadur?? Did he tell you ?
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Prime Minister denies party is in election drive?
The whole of Malta can see the election drive start-up and Gonzi can't? How incredulous can this man get?
Luke Camilleri •
Imma dan bis-serjeta? Hekk qallu biex jghid il-Coach jew il-Helpers il-Godda ta' Dr. Pawlu Borg Olivier, sive' Joe Saliba, Austin & Son, ...u xi id mohbija!
Ghax jekk ma hux hu, il-Ministi tieghu u deputati ohra huma!
B'dikjarazzjonijiet bhal dawn , tkompli tonqos il-kredibilita !
Stefan Mifsud •
Pull the other one Prim. Bells may ring...lol
Zack Depasquale •
"The three most unreliable things in public life: Political Memoirs, Official Denials and Manifesto Promises", Quotation from the British Comedy Yes Minister.
Micheal Bonanno •
Hon. PM. Go and tell it to the marines! If the PN is not in election modes, then please explain to us, humble readers why the 3 musketeers (Gatt, RCC and Joe Saliba) are having meetings regularly, if not daily? Why all of a sudden so much projects and laws, are being given the go-ahead?
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Ara min jista jemmen lil- Gonzi ! Jahasra f'daqqa wahda habbru t-tnehhija tac-censura minn gvern li ftit xhur ilu kien ufficjalment kontra l-introduzzjoni tad-dritt civili tad-divorzju ! Issa f'daqqa wahda l-istess partit li d-deputat Kap u vici-prim ministru, Tonio Borg, kien qalilna li l-"Madonna qieghda tibki" minhabba l-possibilita li jidhol id-divorzju, ma ddejjaq xejn inehhi c-censura! Tghid il-Madonna se terga tibki, jew ghax issa l-gvern " Kattoliku per eccellenza" nehha c-censura, il-Madonna mhux se tghati kas ??! X'se jghidu l-Isqfijiet ? X'Se jghid Mons. Anton Gouder, Fr. Joe "Beirut" Borg etc..etc.. Eddy Privitera
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As they say, there are lies, damned lies, and Gonzipn lies. http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Former-PN-secretary-general-sets-up-base-at-party-headquarters-20120118 http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Hundreds-of-billboards-prepped-for-possible-election-20120117
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Richard Cachia Caruana rapprezentant permanenti tal-Gvern fl-UE u Alla jbierek ser ikun serikun wiehed minn tlieta li ser imexxu l-istrategija ta' l-elezzjoni li gejja ghal Partit Nazzjonalista. Dan jista jibqa jokkupa din il-kariga (li nassumi hija ta' Ambaxxatur)? Jew ghan-Nazzjonalisti jghaddi kollox. L-EU giet infurmata b'dan ghax sa fejn naf jiena mill-injoranza li li ghandi meta tkun Ambaxxatur tkun ta' Malta kollha u mhux tan-Nazzjonalisti biss. Hemm xi hadd jifhemm u jghidli ftit please.
Ian George Walker •
How can Gonzi stand there and say things that anyone can see are not true?
Doesn'h he realise that this simply continues to chip away at his already badly-damaged credibility?
Where are his advisers?
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If the PN is not in election drive why did Joe Saliba take up an office at PNHQ. Why are the billboards being moved from their storage to strategic places all over Malta. Hon PM try selling your story to the marines because we, the commoners, are not convinced.
