‘Pelting eggs is unacceptable’ – PN MP defends Abela after egg incident
Albert Buttigieg says ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff should apologise
Nationalist MP Albert Buttigieg has defended the prime minister after Tuesday’s egg-throwing incident, saying the act was unacceptable and is no way to improve the common good in a democratic country.
In a video posted to his Facebook page yesterday, Buttigieg also urged ABBA leader Ivan Grech Mintoff – who was the man who threw eggs at the prime minister’s feet – to apologise to Abela, saying the act was not only offensive to the prime minister and the Labour Party, but also to the public.
“Robert Abela and I don’t agree politically, but despite our differences of opinions, I feel it is unacceptable for anyone to pelt the prime minister with eggs,” he said.
“Democracy is not improved by such behaviour, but with discussions and the sharing of ideas that lead to a greater common good. If we’re going to pelt eggs, we’ll soon be pelting papers and eventually other things.”
The people behind the act should apologise to Abela, he said, but should also issue a general apology, because the act was not
simply an offence to him and the PL, but to democracy itself.
Grech Mintoff threw eggs at Abela’s feet during his Freedom Day speech on Tuesday, claiming the government was “destroying” Malta’s neutrality.
ABBA said in a statement they were launching a disobedience campaign on Freedom Day “to get back what was stolen from us”.
Abela was telling the party faithful that the PL is a “movement of love and peace” and that the principles of neutrality are part of why the concept of Freedom Day is important.
Yesterday, Grech Mintoff and party secretary general Simon Elmer held a press conference in Castille Square to explain their act of protest.
ABBA could have chosen to be violent but wanted to protest peacefully, he told Times of Malta. The party needed to make a statement as the government, the opposition and the media were ignoring their pleas.
“The PL, in agreement with the PN, is sending Maltese troops to other people’s wars in breach of the constitution,” he claimed, adding Malta was imminently risking getting involved in the wars of other countries.
He insisted his party had facts and evidence to back his claims, but when pressed to elaborate on the serious statement, he refused to say which troops were sent to which countries, saying he was ready to reveal all details when Abela decided to face his party.
He also said Abela is in agreement with NATO and EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola “to have Malta involved in Europe’s army”.
Grech Mintoff said he wants a debate with Abela on these issues but was sure the prime minister was too “cowardly” to accept the challenge.