Riformi Kostituzzjonali (12) : Maltatoday 14 ta’ Dicembru 2011

26 May Riformi Kostituzzjonali (12) : Maltatoday 14 ta’ Dicembru 2011

 . . . .  PN backbencher Franco Debono endorses President’s proposals on Constitutional reform.

(omissis)

Speaking in Parliament earlier this afternoon, Nationalist MP Franco Debono said President George Abela was correct in calling Constitutional reform as “necessary”.

Debono said it was PM Lawrence Gonzi who initiated talks on Constitutional reform when he invited Opposition leader Joseph Muscat to participate in discussions inside the select committee for the strengthening of democracy. “However, for some reason the committee stopped functioning,” Debono said.

Debono said that thanks to his efforts and the insistence of other MPs the national debate on Constitutional reform is “gaining momentum”.

Debono said the President of the Republic is above partisan politics, however the President is the guardian of the Constitution and is right in taking the initiative in this debate. “The President’s proposals are very interesting and more than fitting to carry on the process. The PN is also giving this reform importance and it has included Constitutional reform in its ‘Our Roots’ document,” Debono said.

Debono said he favours past proposals to elect the President of the Republic with a two-thirds majority in parliament. Debono added that the law on political party funding which he has drafted himself should act as a catalyst for Constitutional reform. Debono said the Prime Minister will soon announce and launch the parliamentary debate on this proposed law.