The Speaker of the House of Representatives has denied that the blocking of a request by the Opposition to have a parliamentary debate on the hospitals inquiry was “pre-arranged” with Prime Minister Robert Abela.
The allegation was made by Opposition Leader Bernard Grech on Wednesday, and reported in The Malta Independent.
In a DOI statement referring to the report, ‘Grech says Speaker blocking debate on hospital inquiry was pre-arranged by Abela’, the Speaker “categorically denies that at any point there was any exchange with the Prime Minister regarding the request put forward by Leader of the Opposition Bernard Grech for the House to adjourn in terms of Standing Order 13 of the House of Representatives.”
The Speaker reiterated that Standing Order 13 unequivocally lists the requisites which must exist for the Chair to accept that a debate be held in terms of this Standing Order, the application of which is clearly explained in the same ruling which can be consulted at https://parlament.mt/14th-leg/rulings/so-13-report-on-vitals-inquiry/.
