Simon Busuttil 'had opposed' George Abela's appointment

Just days after Simon Busuttil hit out at the government for not consulting the opposition over the nomination of Marie Louise Coleiro Preca as the President of the Republic, Sunday newspaper Illum reveals that in 2009, the PN leader had criticised George Abela's appointment as president.

In November, the Opposition leader had called on the government to follow suit and appoint a president from the Nationalist side of the political spectrum - a move which according to Simon Busuttil would have inspired "national unity".

"The government should not promote an old Labour guard to the president's role, but the next president should inspire national unity," Busuttil had said.

However, Illum reveals that after then-prime minister Lawrence Gonzi chose George Abela as Malta's president in 2009, Busuttil had vehemently opposed Abela's appointment, and even asked Gonzi why he had overlooked PN-affiliated names who were being considered as Malta's next president.

The Sunday newspaper also states that Busuttil had seen Abela's appointment as "strengthening" the Labour Party and as a platform for the-then Labour opposition to regain the trust of the electorate.

Read more in today's edition of Illum.