Bernard Grech Dismisses ‘Fantasy’ Report He Could Become New PN Leader But Calls For ‘Drastic’ Action To Revive Party
Lawyer Bernard Grech has denied a report suggesting he could become the interim leader of the Nationalist Party.
“It’s just fantasy and I definitely haven’t agreed to anything,” Grech told Lovin Malta. There’s already an Opposition and PN leader in place and democracy dictates that the rules of the party and the country are to be adored to. There’s definitely no plan in place as far as I am concerned.”
TVM journalist Brian Hansford yesterday cited PN sources as proposing a new leadership. According to Hansford, the plan would see Grech appointed interim leader of the party, but not in Parliament, PN MEP Roberta Metsola appointed deputy leader for party affairs, MP Claudio Grech appointed deputy leader for parliamentary affairs and businessman Ivan Bartolo appointed PN CEO.
While denying that such a plan is imminent, Grech stressed on the need for “drastic action” within the PN but refused to say whether he thinks this should involve the resignation of PN leader Adrian Delia.
“Whether I think Delia should stay or resign isn’t important at the moment at the moment. What’s important is that rules are followed and that Adrian Delia does whatever has to be done.”
“I’ve been saying he should take action for years and I’ve been saying he should take drastic action for the past two months. He’s still in time to do so. If it doesn’t work out, then whoever has the right to do something must do so.”
Grech refused to expand further on what drastic action he is referring to, saying that “drastic action can be anything as long as its drastic”.
“Adrian Delia cannot not address the situation. The status quo is definitely not right and things cannot say as they are. I’ve always believed in the need for a strong opposition, even when the Labour Party was in a similar situation 15 years ago.”
“I think for now I should leave it at ‘drastic action’ and perhaps at a later stage we’ll see. I’m giving Delia the opportunity as a leader to decide what these drastic actions should be.”
PN Secretary General Clyde Puli, deputy leader for party affairs Robert Arrigo and General Council President Kristy Debono have all resigned from their roles in recent days, but Delia has pledged to remain in charge out of respect to the PN members who had elected him in 2017.
Adrian Delia was interviewed on Xarabank last night (Photo: Xarabank)
On Xarabank last night, Delia pledged to introduce structural changes proposed by former minister Louis Galea by the end of March but argued that the greatest change that must take place within the PN concerns the attitude of its politicians.
“Our greatest challenge is for the PN to no longer be controlled by a few people who think they have some divine right [to power] but to return the party to the people,” he said. “In the past, there was a general understanding that the PN belonged to businesses but Eddie Fenech Adami turned it into a party of the people. The PN’s raison d’être is to represent as many people as possible. I was elected to return the PN to the people and I will do whatever it takes.”
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