St Paul’s Bay councillor Graziella Galea co-opted into parliament

St Paul’s Bay councillor and former mayor Graziella Galea was co-opted into parliament on Monday, after Nationalist Party MP David Thake resigned his seat.

An architect and former mayor of St Paul’s Bay, Galea said she had tendered her resignation from the council on which she had served for the past 14 years.

She thanked her constituents and her family for supporting her in her political pursuits.

“I want to be the best voice for the electorate and look forward to working together for the best of the Maltese and Gozitan people,” she said in a short address ahead of Monday’s sitting.

The PN’s executive committee approved Galea’s co-option to replaced Thake after the latter resigned from parliament after Times of Malta reported how his company owes some €270,000 in unpaid VAT dues.

Former MP Ivan Bartolo has expressed disappointment that the vacant seat was not offered to him, after he resigned in 2020 to make way for Bernard Grech to become Opposition leader.