Comments on: Why is the Speaker travelling for meetings of this nature? It’s not his place or purpose.

By: Victor Bonello

Victor Bonello — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 08:19:00 +0000

Then we ask why the Nationalist Party has not rebuilt its credibility, and why the Labour Party can get away with murder.

By: John Jones

John Jones — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 18:17:00 +0000

In reply to paul busuttil. He is perplexed trying to figure out why he is having this meeting in the first place.

By: Francis Saliba MD

Francis Saliba MD — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:50:00 +0000

Making hay while the sun shines. That is why.

By: A Camilleri

A Camilleri — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:36:00 +0000

They must be very good friends. Looks like they go to the same barber.

By: Tabatha_White

Tabatha_White — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:22:00 +0000

Which journalists were invited along this time?

By: M Farrugia

M Farrugia — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:21:00 +0000

He really feel at home. Flocks of the same feather flock together.

By: M Farrugia

M Farrugia — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 10:21:00 +0000

Hope drinks in Turkey are not as expensive as Dubai.

By: paul busuttil

paul busuttil — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 09:32:00 +0000

Not even a smile from Erdogan.

By: paul busuttil

paul busuttil — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 09:30:00 +0000

I wonder who has joined him from the Opposition?

By: Dina Crispar

Dina Crispar — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 08:55:00 +0000

The Speaker presides over one of the powers of the state, the Legislative, but he does not represent the state. The President does that, and ambassadors accredited to foreign countries by the President.

Not even the prime minister represents the state but only one power of the state, the Executive. The Speaker represents Parliament in so far as he is an integral part of it.

His counterparts are the presiding officers of other parliaments, particularly those presiding over the lower houses in bicameral systems.

If the Speaker meets a head of state, it would be inappropriate for him to discuss political matters affecting his country which are the preserve of the Executive, and it is difficult to see how he can avoid that when meeting a head of state who is also head of government (the Executive).

In the specific case, as presiding officer of the highest democratic institution in the land, meeting a head of state whose democratic credentials are in doubt at the present time is probably inadvisable: one would have presumed the Speaker only paid a courtesy call, but in the above report he is said to have been engaged in “bilateral talks” which seems to go beyond that.