Updated | Jean-Pierre Farrugia meets with PM, 'we have no more differences'

Informed sources have told MaltaToday that the Prime Minister expressed his anger and disappointment at the way Jean-Pierre Farrugia had expressed himself in public. But the Nationalist MP was reported to have stuck to his guns, declaring that the ball was in the Prime Minister's court, and that someone must assume responsibility for the way the honoraria were proposed and approved for Cabinet.

MaltaToday is informed that the Prime Minister will announce "developments" later today, at the end of a Cabinet and Parliamentary Group Meeting, where he is expected to firstly inform them about the step ahead on the honoraria issue.

After he emerged from the meeting last night, Jean-Pierre Farrugia declared that he had "no more differences" with the Prime Minister.

Senior PN sources said that the Prime Minister and Jean-Pierre Farrugia have "reached a compromise" which will be known to all Cabinet and the Parliamentary Group.

SEE PICTURES BELOW OF LATE EVENING MEETING AT PN HEADQUARTERS

Speaking to MaltaToday earlier in the day, Jean-Pierre Farrugia stressed that he has no intention to destabilise the government and would not vote against a financial bill that could jeopardise the administration, but he would not vote with government should the honorarium issue be subjected to a parliamentary vote.

Jean-Pierre Farrugia told MaltaToday last Sunday that he had also  warned his party that he will veto any financial bill that would finance the increment to ministers and parliamentary Secretaries honoraria as MPs.

Farrugia made himself clear with PN parliamentary whip Whip David Agius during last Tuesday’s sitting, that was summoned to approve a long list of estimates that were scheduled for vote under the ‘miscellaneous’ title.

Speaker Michael Frendo and the Clerk of the House were also engaged by the Nationalist MP, to ensure that the ministerial honoraria increase was not included in any of the financial estimates that were to be voted on.

The vote was eventually postponed to another day, as parliamentary secretary Mario Galea was indisposed, but Jean-Pierre Farrugia made sure to remind the party whip that he wants to be briefed on the content of every ‘miscellaneous’ list when involving a financial vote.

Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre Farrugia was reportedly approached by representatives from the Opposition in a bid to discuss the possibility of a motion, however MaltaToday is informed that Farrugia turned down the approach.

Following Tuesday’s sitting, Jean-Pierre Farrugia hit out harshly at Prime Minister and party leader Lawrence Gonzi, in a scathing email he circulated to all members of the parliamentary group.

In his email, Farrugia said that it was a shame for ‘GonziPN’ that  ministers and parliamentary secretaries had been receiving their higher parliamentary honoraria since the decision was taken in May 2008. On the other hand, the rise that was meant to be given to the other MPs had yet to be given to them.