PN MPs walk out of Parliament after motion to discuss need to publish Vitals inquiry is turned down

PN MPs walked out of Parliament on Monday after a motion the Opposition filed urging Parliament to discuss the need to publish the Vitals inquiry was shot down by the Speaker of the House.

PN Leader Bernard Grech on Monday filed the motion urging the House to discuss the urgency surrounding the need for the Vitals magisterial inquiry report to be published.

The publication of the inquiry is at the discretion of the Attorney General, who has told Repubblika that it will not give the NGO a copy of the inquiry as requested.

In the motion, Grech said that from public comments made by the Prime minister Robert Abela, “it results”, that he has access to the inquiry report.

In his letter to Speaker Anglu Farrugia, Grech said that whilst making comments, the Prime Minister is also attacking the judiciary “particularly Magistrate Gabriella Vella who led the Vitals magisterial inquiry”.

“This is a matter of urgent public importance because the Maltese and Gozitan people have the right to know what is in the report of the magisterial inquiry into Vitals, and it is not acceptable for a Prime Minister to attack and undermine confidence in one of the four pillars of democracy in our country: the Judiciary.”

In his comments in parliament addressing the Opposition, Abela said that the PN is turning the matter into a political one by asking parliament to discuss the matter. Morevoer, he said that this motion goes against the law. He denied having access to the report and said that he has always urged authorities to publish the report as soon as possible.

In response Grech said with the PM’s comments it is clear that he wants to decide who has access to the document and that he wants to also decide when the document is published.

Following this commotion Speaker Anglu Farrugia paused the sitting, and returned with a ruling later. He said that discussing the inquiry in Parliament could prejudice the right to a fair hearing since criminal proceedings are underway, and turned down the request.

This prompted Grech and the PN MPs to walk out of Parliament.