Perici Calascione has asked to be exempt from meeting due to conflict of interest
The committee will meet at the request of PN councillor Charlot Cassar, who asked the party to “consider the controversy and take steps it considers necessary in the circumstances.” Cassar has insisted that he is not doing this to harm or favour any of the candidates but feels that party councillors and paid-up members (tesserati) have a right to know all the facts about the four candidates before they vote. The situation is somewhat complicated seeing that over a hundred councillors voted early on Saturday. The proper first-round voting session is to be held this coming Saturday. Cassar also said all candidates should have the right to defend themselves against allegations made against them.
Delia is being accused, by Caruana Galizia, of money laundering. She claims that money deriving from prostitution in London flats was transferred through an offshore account in Delia’s name.
Delia has vehemently denied the claims, saying that he does not have, and never had personal accounts or moneys abroad. On Saturday he acknowledged that he represented a Maltese client who was indeed the landlord of at least one property used for illicit practices, but insisted that his client/landlord was not to be held for the actions of his tenants. The tenants, he said, had been prosecuted for breach of contract.
“Caruana Galizia knows full well that what is being alleged in my respect amounts to no more than the provision of legal services to a client rendered over 20 years ago,” he told journalists on Saturday.
Karol Aquilina told The Malta Independent on Sunday yesterday that tonight’s meeting won’t be one to decide what action will be taken against Delia. “We will be meeting to discuss the situation in general,” he said. “We will take stock of the situation and decide on the way forward.”
Confirming that Delia will not be present for the meeting, Aquilina assured that the leadership contender would be summoned by the administrative committee if the latter feels that there are things he needs to answer for. “Rest assured the committee would never take a decision before speaking to Delia.”
Aquilina also reiterated that, so far, there have been no requests for action to be taken against Delia.
If that happens, disciplinary proceedings usually start before the administrative council, before they are bounced higher up.
This newspaper has also learnt that PN treasurer Alex Perici Calascione will not attend tonight’s meeting despite being, because of his role, a member of the administrative committee. He informed Aquilina that he would not be attending due to his obvious conflict of interest as a rival in the leadership race.