'Writing has been on the wall for years' - Franco Debono

Nationalist MP Franco Debono said the "Prime Minister has known for over a year what I will do and what I think about the justice system."

 He said this in reaction to the Opposition's adjournment motion to fast-track the motions of censure on Home Affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Malta's permanent representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana.

Debono told MaltaToday "while the Prime Minister defends his ministers I will defend the national interest in the justice and home affairs sectors."

"I am conveying the frustration of the people working in the police corps, in court and in prison," the criminal lawyer and MP added.

On his Facebook page, Debono's wrote "You will have to pay for Lawrence Gonzi's failures and he will try to steal the merit of your successes."

The MP who has been calling for reforms in the justice and home affairs sectors since his election to Parliament in 2008 said "instead of defending the national interest, the Prime Minister has been defending his ministers for four years."

Talking to MaltaToday, Debono listed a number of issues he has raised since his election in Parliament, including the lack of forensic labs, parole, the right to legal assistance and the need to separate justice and home affairs.

He added that it was only thanks to his intervention in Parliament that cassettes were replaced by compact discs in court.

Debono explained that the 22-point motion on justice and home affairs he tabled in November is still pending and said that he "reluctantly voted" for the approval of the Home Affairs budget vote.  

"The writing has been on the wall for years," Debono said He added that he has always been diplomatic and brought an example of his oligarchy accusations by saying "I could have called the oligarchy by its real name but I have not."

Earlier this week, Debono has reacted to Prime Minister's Lawrence Gonzi decision to go for a crucial vote on the budget bill by accusing him of "cowardice" for not taking him up on a challenge for a public debate.