Prime Minister adamant to avoid discussing his crisis

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi faced questions from journalists who seemed less interested in the meeting he will host for the Mediterranean states' leaders, than the political troubles that beset him in one fell swoop today.

In the space of a few hours, Gonzi had instructed his Cabinet to jettison the plan to privatise public car parks after Nationalist MP said he would vote in favour of a Labour motion to repeal the plan; then had to learn that Debono will be calling for a vote of no-confidence in Austin Gatt; and that former Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando was supporting the call to have the Labour motion debated with urgency.

Making matters worse is Debono's unadulterated declaration that he is not going to vote for the Budget, a move which could dead-leg Gonzi's administration.

But the prime minister refused to be drawn into discussing the implications of the day's events with the press at Castille today.

"It is a pity that on the day we are getting ready to welcome these leaders to discuss something as historic as the Arab Spring, some people are trying to deviate this event to the local political scene," Gonzi said to the first question he fielded, after briefing journalists on the 5 5 meeting of Mediterranean states to be held in Malta.

"It doesn't make sense to discuss some car park when we are going to be discussing such historic events," Gonzi said in an attempt to belittle a question put to him on Franco Debono's decision not to support the government any longer.

He was also evasive on whether he will be taking his Budget to parliament in November. "We will discuss the budget another time," he said.

On Friday and Saturday, Malta will host the first summit of North African and southern European states, the first between leaders of the 10 states since last year's Arab Spring uprisings.

The 5 and 6 October meeting is expected to address several aspects of enhancing political and economic cooperation in the wake of the revolts in several Arab and North African countries. Also on the table are security issues and irregular immigration.

The summit will bring together leaders from France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain along with those from Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

Gonzi said the meeting will be attended by French President Francois Hollande, Italian premier Mario Monti, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Portugese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho.

Libyan President of the Congress Mohamed el-Magarief, Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, Moroccan Premier Abdelilah Benkirane, Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalak Sellal and Mauritania's president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz are also expected to be present.

The Prime Minister said all heads of states have confirmed their presence although he warned that any of these could be cancelled if more pressing matters emerge.

The summit will start on Friday with a working lunch at Castille and other meetings will be held at Verdala Palace.

Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President and Stefan Fule, the EU commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy will also be attending the meeting which will also discuss the region's stability.