‘Muscat identified JPO as Labour’s target during 2008 elections' – Zammit Dimech

Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech has stated that Opposition leader Joseph Muscat had "informed" the Nationalist Party that Labour would be targeting Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando over the Mistra case.

"The source of information to the PN with regards to identifying Pullicino Orlando as being the intended target of the PL in the last days of 2008 electoral campaign was none other than Joseph Muscat," Zammit Dimech said during TVM's Realta this evening.

When asked by host Brian Hansford to substantiate his claims, Zammit Dimech simply said that in the coming days, "the PN will be releasing proof".

Contacted by MaltaToday asking when, where and to who this information was "leaked", Zammit Dimech reiterated the same answer.

During the programme, the former minister went on to accuse Labour of "taking advantage of Jeffrey's [Pullicino Orlando] vulnerable position in a bid to overthrow government".

 "The PL had used Jeffrey as their target in an attempt to win the last general elections. If he allows them to manipulate the situation, they are once again - even if in a different scenario - using him in their attempts to win the elections," Zammit Dimech insisted.

Commenting on Tuesday's meeting of the PN's executive committee that cleared Richard Cachia Caruana of any accusations raised by Pullicino Orlando, Dimech said that "true democracy" had prevailed.

He said that despite having voted in favour of the Opposition motion to oust Pullicino Orlando, he was given the full opportunity to make his case to why Cachia Caruana should be expelled from the party.

"But while Pullicino Orlando was there asking and answering questions, the two Labour MPs who took opportunity of his vulnerable position and filled his head with unsubstantial claims chickened out," Zammit Dimech said of Karmenu Vella and Joe Mizzi.

Zammit Dimech said that Vella and Mizzi had allowed Pullicino Orlando to make use of their comments, but refused to substantiate their claims.

Also present for the discussion was lawyer and Labour candidate for the general elections Manuel Mallia.

Throughout the programme, Mallia pressed Zammit Dimech to declare that the internal problems within the PN have been solved once and for all and rubbished statements by Zammit Dimech that the public "cared little" about whether Cachia Caruana should be expelled or not.

"Don't you realise that the people worry about uncertainty? Out there people ask whether parliament will meet again or whether the PN's internal problems have been solved.

"Isn't it worrying when Franco Debono states that with Austin Gatt member of the Cabinet he will not be supporting government anymore? Is Zammit Dimech comfortable working in an environment where doubts still exist on how the three MPs - Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, Jesmond Mugliett and Franco Debono - will be voting in parliament?" Mallia said.

Mallia insisted that people needed to put at mind their rest that the problems within the PN have been solved for good: "No one can blame this on Labour. John Dalli himself accused the PN of destroying the party. Is the PN ready to state once and for all that no more conflicts will be afflicting the party?"

Throughout the programme, Zammit Dimech insisted that the current political crisis wasn't the result of the PN's internal conflicts but of Labour being "manipulative" and "opportunistic".

Pressured by Mallia to state that once parliament convenes, the three backbenchers will be supporting government throughout the rest of the legislature, Zammit Dimech said he would only comment on facts.

"You know how many times the PL tried to bring down government? Joseph Muscat's sole goal is to become Malta's youngest prime minister," he said.