Update 3 | Qormi deputy mayor denies mayor's claims of harassment

Adds comments by Qormi councillor at 1:28pm and comments by mayor and deputy mayor at 2:46pm

The Qormi deputy mayor Jesmond Aquilina denied reports that he stormed into the office of mayor Rosianne Cutajar where Aquilina was reportedly heard abusing the 24-year-old mayor. 

People who were waiting outside the mayor's offices yesterday afternoon saw Jesmond Aquilina charging his way into Cutajar's office at the Qormi council where he was heard shouting abuse at the young mayor.

However, speaking to MaltaToday, Aquilina denied the reported incident and explained that he visited the council's office after being asked to sign some documents.

"I received an email asking me to go sign something and I went to the council's office were I made it clear that I would not be signing anything. I might have raised my voice but I did not even touch the mayor or shout any abuse," Aquilina said.

He added that a number of persons including the council's executive secretary, the council's architect and a councilor were present and could confirm that he did not in any way harass Cutajar.

However, Charles Farrugia, a councillor who was at the office when the incident happened, confirmed that Aquilina could be heard shouting at the mayor and described Aquilina's behaviour during the discussion as "aggressive."

In comments to MaltaToday, Rosianne Cutajar said: "The least Aquilina can do is demand an apology instead of making a denial."

Cutajar said that she had reacted calmly to the situation, however condemned all kinds of aggressive behavior towards women.

She explained that the deputy mayor was asked to sign a MEPA application to approve minor amendments to a heritage trail project initiated by the previous administration led by Aquilina.

The approval of the EU funded €200,000 project depends on Aquilina's signature but Cutajar said that she would not allow such an episode to disrupt her council work.

On his part, Aquilina said that he had no qualms in apologizing but insisted that it was not the first time that councilors had heated discussions.

Asked why he refused to sign the application for minor amendments to the project, he said that he was not involved in the discussions on the project's amendments and was only asked to sign the papers.

"I have absolutely no intention of blocking the project which I had originally drew up while I was mayor. But in order to sign I will demand an explanation of what these changes entail."

This reported incident was not the first involving Aquilina, who lost the mayorship to Cutajar in 2012.

In March 2012, Cutajar was elected mayor after garnering 1,445 first count votes, while than outgoing mayor Aquilina had obtained 1,369.

As the votes were being counted at the Naxxar counting hall, a disappointed Aquilina was filmed shouting and venting his anger with Labour officials and the police had to intervene to calm down the situation.

Aquilna was heard telling than Labour president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi that the party had "lost Malta's best mayor" and accused the party of not endorsing his candidature.