I don’t want to sound like the President’s apologist but, on this occasion, it is not fair to blame him for the following reasons.

1. In a parliamentary democratic system, the Head of Sate cannot and should not withhold his assent to a law passed in accordance with the Constitution. To argue otherwise would mean that an appointed President can overrule a law passed by an elected Parliament.

2. Tycho Brahe is right to point out that it is not normally ‘right’ for a Head of State to explain his constitutional duties on television. I would certainly not have done so but the President has some justification by virtue of the fact that quite a number of people were saying that he should not have signed the Act.

3. The President’s statement can be interpreted in another light. To take that unprecedented step signifies that he does not agree with the citizenship scheme. Why else would he take the pains to say publicly that his assenting to the Act does not express his own opinion.

I’d prefer to pay more tax than let these incompetent freaks sell Maltese citizenship for cash, with the negative snowball effect that will have on the Maltese economy anyway.

He may not be expressing his own opinion but if there is something that he finds abhorrent or is against in principle then he has the moral duty to refrain from signing it and resign.

Ergo, although his position may be different on this issue, one concludes that he does not consider it serious enough to give up his post. Well, everyone has to live with the decisions they make and, ultimately, with himself.

Which is why Busuttil should now give them a two-fingered salute and start collecting signatures to repeal the sodding law. I really don’t know what they’re waiting for.

Same thing he said about the disgraceful speech he gave at start of parliament.

Worst president ever.

Or Google, Bing and and some other obscure website.

Typical puppet.

Noooo, they were probably three Russians interested in buying a Maltese passport.