Gonzi dubs Anglu Farrugia ‘scapegoat’ for Muscat’s mistakes

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi reacted to the resignation of Labour Party Deputy Leader Anglu Farrugia earlier this evening by insisting that Farrugia was simply a "scapegoat" who suffered the consequence for [Labour Leader] Joseph Muscat's mistakes.

In a brief statement hours after Muscat announced Farrugia's resignation, Gonzi dismissed the Labour Party's position that Farrugia's resignation was requested following Farrugia's allegations against a member of the judiciary (Magistrate Audrey Demicoli) of political bias.

Gonzi instead insisted that the reasons for Farrugia's resignation "are still not clear," and expressed the hope "that more transparency in this regard would be forthcoming in the coming days. I expect them in coming hours."

He noted that Farrugia's resignation "did not happen in a vacuum", referring to how Anglu Farrugia did not take part in last Friday's broadcast of Xarabank, where Farrugia was meant to face off against PN Deputy Leader Simon Busuttil.

"It is clear that Muscat played a card," pointing to how Farrugia was pulled from the programme at the last second.

Prime Minister Gonzi however made no reference to wayward Nationalist MP Franco Debono's appearance at Where's Everybody's studio, his demands for airtime to explain his reasons for voting against the budget last week which brought down the Nationalist Administration, or his part in the impromptu cancellation of the Xarabank programme.

Gonzi went on to say that the Labour Party had "fled from policy discussion", and insisted that when the programme was cancelled, "Labour deprived the public of what it needs most: policy debate with which they can compare and contrast, and make their choice."

Gonzi also referred to the special broadcast of Xarabank that was aired the following day where Farrugia and Busuttil had their debate.

Gonzi said that during the programme, it was clear that while Busuttil was well-versed in the PN's policy, "Farrugia did  not seem to know what the Labour policy is."

Referring to Farrugia's resignation, announced earlier today, Gonzi maintained that "the claim that Farrugia resigned because of comments he passed regarding the judiciary are not fooling anyone."

He insisted that Farrugia was selected as a "convenient scapegoat" to suffer the consequences for Joseph Muscat's mistakes.

He accused Muscat of "making bad decisions and then running away from taking responsibility for them."

"It is clear that there is more behind the scenes which has yet to emerge," Gonzi said as the party faithful, gathered for the PN's Christmas reception, clapped enthusiastically.

Reiterating that Farrugia suffered the consequences for Muscat's mistaken decisions, Gonzi insisted that "Muscat should know that you cannot please everyone, or keep everyone happy all the time."

"Good leaders know that that they must make choices and then live up to the consequences for their choices," he said.

Gonzi did not take questions from the media at the end of his address.