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Franco Debono unwavering on Budget vote
Resolute Franco Debono says Simon Busuttil's election will not alter his determination to vote against the 2013 Budget.
1 December 2012, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
3 min read
Franco Debono
Despite Simon Busuttil's election to PN deputy leader, dissenting Nationalist MP Franco Debono reiterated that he will vote against the Budget, insisting, "nothing has changed."
Debono described Busuttil's election as a "very tiny step. The writing has been on the wall for years. His election is irrelevant to how I will vote in the upcoming Buget vote."
On Friday, MEP Simon Busuttil, whose talk on reconciliation with dissenting Nationalist MPs was rebuked by the PN Executive, trounced the other contestant Tonio Fenech, beating him with a 400-vote margin.
"Simon Busuttil has 10 days to carry out drastic changes within the party," Debono said, referring to the time left before the first Budget vote is taken in parliament on 10 December.
Evidently, the changes Debono has in mind are the withdrawal of the condemnation and election ban slapped on himself, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Jesmond Mugliett for voting against the party whip in Parliament.
However, minutes after being elected, Busuttil shot down any chance of reversing the electoral ban, insisting that he had "no intention to revoke the decision taken by the executive to ban him [Franco Debono] from contesting the next general election on the party ticket."
Speaking to MaltaToday, Franco Debono described the deputy leader election as a vote of no-confidence in transport minister Austin Gatt and finance minister Tonio Fenech.
"I now want to regain the position I had in the party before Austin Gatt hijacked the Nationalist Party," Debono said.
Turning on Gatt, Debono said that Friday's result showed that besides being the most unpopular minister as showed by numerous polls and only survived the November 2011 vote of no-confidence against him thanks to the Speaker's casting vote, "he has now been given a vote of no-confidence by his own party, by the PN councillors."
Debono added that Gatt tried to destroy his fledgling political career, "only because I wanted to reform the party and the country."
"The councillors' vote was a massive vote of no-confidence in the Cabinet. This must mean that somebody must have done something wrong," he added.
Asked whether he would re-consider changing his stance over the budget if Austin Gatt were to make way, Debono said: "At this point in time with Austin Gatt in the Cabinet I will vote against the Budget. In the very remote possibility of Austin Gatt resigning before the budget vote, he would still need to remedy for all the damage he caused. Gatt is at the root of all the problems within the party. He incited everyone against me, with Beppe Fenech Adami and Tonio Fenech at the forefront."
He added that Busuttil's election will make no difference because Gatt "is not afraid of Simon as he was not intimidated by the votes of no-confidence tabled against him."
The Nationalist MP also said that this week's election were the death knell to Mario de Marco's leadership aspirations. "His decision not to contest the election and his subsequent decision to bend over backwards to support Fenech's nomination have all but decimated his leadership chances," Debono said.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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Imma Franco, meta kellek cans, ghax ma hlistx minnu lill pipi gatt? Jien ghandi dubji serji li gonzipn kollox mahdum ghandom b has soltu u li- il budget b xi mod jew iehor jghaddi. Il-brimba ghanqbuta perfetta taghmel, b gometrija perfetta u ezatta. Igebdu kemm igebdu, f lahhar minn l-ahhar il-poplu irid jehles minn gonzipn, almenu jekk irid.
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@carmel grima
I can suppose what happened on that day back in October 79, but if you have the facts...... take it to the end..... I would if I were you, no matter what happens.
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Congratulations to Simon Busuttil, but remember Mr Busuttil is not authorized to work miracles especially in this short of a time. When it comes to Franco Debono it is still up in the air. Will he or won't he? That is the question. As we know so far Franco Debono has not been so reliable when it come to voting, so he leaves us in a lurch. This is a very, very serious decision that he has to make and overtake which can cause a lot of serious consequences either way he votes if he does vote? So for now and on past experience I would not bet two cents on Franco Debono. This is the time for Franco Debono to show us what he is made of and as I mentioned before, Is he a man or a mouse? The next few days will tell all.
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Il-qanpiena tal-mewt ta'l-Onor Mario de Marco ma daqqietx ghax dahhlu lil Dr. Busuttil, nahseb jien imma ghax tant ktibt fuq blogs fuq il-passat ta' missieru, li kien l-avukat taghana fil-guri ta' missieri Karm Grima, dak li kien gie iffrejmjat biex ma jinkixfux il-vjolenti tal-15/10/1979, u li halla tlitt certifikati medici foloz minn tobba fazuli jirrenjaw, li l-PN irid jitbieghed minn dak li gara wara fit-tmeninijiet ghax ghandi x'jisthi.Ghalhekk Dr. EFA heba l-Inkjesta Muscat Azzoppardi, dik li ghamel hu stess biex tinvestiga il-frame-up ta' missieri, biex wara halla lil Dr. A. Sant johrogha bil-mohbi u jitlifha.Mist. Par. 14066-sed225-8/6/98 ta' A. Gatt.
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ARA briffy mela qomt
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Wara dak li gara il bierah gie ikonfermat li kollox kien mahdun bizzilla u najt ghaliex bkuminazzjoni dalli irrezenja bkumbinazzjoni gonzi innomina lil Tonio Borg li kien Vici Kap Bkunbinazzjoni Lahaq Simon Busuttil bkunbinazzjoni ser issir by election u tafu xse jigri min jitla icedi il post lil Simon
u in nies jigu aljenati u ikomplu ikaxkru sieqom halli itawlu id data ta lelezzjoni gabu kollox vicin il Leuge pero il Poplu Malti Mhux Cuc u lanqas Franco mu Cuc
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Consider what the result of the deputy leader’s election has not altered.
Gonzi is still P.M. with a Nationalist Party in disarray, while exposing itself as an administration of corruption, collusion and discriminatory ethics.
Tonio Fenech remains at finance with a record national debt and yearly runaway deficits that are unsustainable, perhaps the most distrustful cabinet minister that Malta ever had.
Austin Gatt is still Transport Minister, as everybody knows how well the public transport saga has been transformed into a national tragedy. As if that is not enough misfortune on his resume, Austin Gatt is also responsible for the extension of the Power Station that refuses to operate.
Dolores Cristina plods along with nepotism in education even when EU funds were suspended due to mismanagement and collusion.
The incompetent Zammit Dimech newly appointed at the Foreign Ministry. A disaster waiting to happen as one wonders how long it would take before a foreign office scandal will be exposed.
Another new appointment awaiting in Brussels to replace Simon Busuttil after Malta’s embarrassing episodes, first with OLAF and Commissioner Dalli and then with the certification of a new commissioner Antonio Borg who is also being investigated for a 150,000 euros bribe that ensured a Maltese/EU citizenship to one of the most wanted criminals in Europe.
The GONZIPN Clan are still very much in charge and Franco Debono has no alternative but to vote against this budget, if he truly believes that Malta needs a change in its political direction.
If appearances are deceitful, then they do not deserve any confidence.
Malta continues to be flagged as a nation of immoral administrations and a government that inspires illegal immigration and a haven for money laundering and criminal activities.
However gradual Debono’s action has been due to the fact that his hopes and inspirations to establish support within the party are at a very low tide, if he does not vote down this administration and this election budget that rewards the upper middle class at the detriment of the lower scale workers, he must carry the responsibility of having the most precious chance to defend his beliefs and the love of his country by stopping this carnage.
Such endeavor requires guts otherwise it will remain embedded on his conscience for the rest of his life.
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Do not worry - FD will not vote against the Budget. What will happen is this- Austin gatt will give his parliamentary seat to Simon Busuttil who will over the next 10 days 'miraculously' stage an rapprochement with FD who in turn will state that he is satisfied with the outcome and the new Deputy Leadership - thus endeth this farce ; everybody happy and smiling like the end of a fairytale. Whether they will live happily ever after remains to be seen. Meanwhile the Maltese population will continue to be taken for a ride! Everybody gets the government he deserves!
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What wistinu pipi gatt makes way for Simon Busuttil in parliament.... Will Franco vote against??
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Whatever Franco says or does is completely irrelevant. One, elections will be held not later than March 9 along with the council elections if he votes against the budget; two, if the Budget is approved, Parliament will be dissolved in February for elections to be held in May. June is not a good month for PN, in 1971 Mintoff was elected in June. A couple of months wont make any difference. If Debono votes against, the PN would benefit by blaming on Debono for denying the COLA increase and the other benefits to the electorate.
