Prime Minister determined to run five-year term, sets tone for tomorrow’s confidence vote

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has refused to blame Franco Debono for the resignation of his home affairs minister, insisting Labour leader Joseph Muscat "is the biggest loser" in the motion that ousted Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

In an interview to the Sunday Times, Gonzi appears keen to deflect attention to Muscat, claiming his actions have been belittled by Mifsud Bonnici's honourable exit.

Gonzi also said he would not speculate on whether he will call early elections if Franco Debono abstain on Monday's confidence vote, which would require the Speaker's casting vote to pass.

"I have to recognise the serious political implications of what happened on Wednesday. But I do need to take into consideration the importance of avoiding an early election. If I'm forced to call an election, so be it. But I have tasked by the electorate to carry out a five-year programme and I will continue to try to this.

"I would naturally bow my head if there is a vote of no-confidence in the government."

Gonzi said winning the confidence vote would give his government a moral duty to continue government. "I'm determined to run the whole term."

The prime minister also said Franco Debono's future as a PN candidate will be dertemined by the party's executive committee.

Gonzi denied contacts made with the MP prior to the vote on Wednesday evening were a bid to buy his silence, and also said Debono did not tell him he wanted to be appointed Leader of the House - something the MP has so far denied.

"There was no horse-trading. I tried to see how Franco could contribute and identify space for him to work, while coming in line with the government," he said of his parliamentary assistant, who is still paid an emolument for assisting the PM at Castille.

Gonzi refused to manifest any sense of anger or betrayal at the motivations behind Debono's vote to oust Mifsud Bonnici, even saying his ambition to be a minister was "a natural desire [that] appears to be too strong."

"I hope people understand just how false Labour's motion has been... the criticism was superficial and that's why I can't understand why one of our own MPs voted in favour of a motion which is unjustified and hypocritical. This has upset me greatly."

When asked whether he could work with Debono in a team, Gonzi immediately turned to Muscat: "He has taken the wrong decisions... his main aim is to bring down the government."

Gonzi, who has taken over home affairs, did not rule out passing on the ministry to somebody else, such as parliamentary assistant Beppe Fenech Adami. Other former ministers who could be in with a chance for the job are Francis Zammit Dimech, the current chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.