In reaction to the statement of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on state funding of political parties, Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said the Prime Minister should give concrete reasons why he is adopting this position.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said that “as things stand, there is a free-for-all system as regards donations to political parties and it is more than obvious that this has resulted in a system of political money laundering. In this case, some are more equal than others in their influence on political parties and there is no accounting system to trace this. The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (Greco) had opposed Malta’s financing system. Besides, The Prime Minister’s position is contradicted by the sum of money which Parliament has been voting every year to the political parties in parliament”.
David Friggieri, AD Spokesperson for Justice and Home Affairs, said that “we should be absolutely clear that alongside broadcasting and the electoral system, political party financing is another fundamental area where Maltese democracy is lagging behind. It is yet another mechanism which effectively entrenches the status quo to the exclusion of new entrants in the democratic process. While other countries have adopted a fair and transparent system whereby the State finances political parties according to the number of votes they obtain and whereby donations are regulated, the Prime Minister has now made a curt, blanket statement against state financing of political parties. We would like to know the exact reasons why the Prime Minister opposes the idea.”
Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party said it will giving its detailed feedback to the official proposals on party financing once it is officially consulted. In the meantime, AD’s current proposals on the financing of political parties can be read here:
http://temp1.studio2point3.com/ad/.mt/filebank/documents/finanzjamentpartiti.PDF
L-AD tistaqsi lill-Prim Ministru biex jiddikjara ghalfejn huwa kontra l-finanzjament tal-partiti politici mill-istat
B’reazzjoni ghall-istqarrija tal-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti mill-istat, L-Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party qalet li l-Prim Ministru ghandu jaghti ragunijiet konkreti ghall-pozizzjoni li ha.
Michael Briguglio, ic-Chairperson tal-AD, qal li “kif inhuma l-affarijiet bhalissa, m’hemmx kontroll rigward kif jinghataw id-donazzjonijiet lill-partiti politici u m’hemmx dubju li din is-sitwazzjoni qeghda twassal biex isir hasil politiku ta’ flus. F’dan il-kaz, hemm min huwa ugwali aktar minn haddiehor fl-influenza li ghandu fuq il-partiti politici u m’hemm l-ebda mezz ta’ kontabilita biex jigu investigati dawn l-affarijiet. Il-Grupp ta’ Stati kontra l-Korruzzjoni tal-Kunsill tal-Ewropa (Greco) kienet opponiet is-sistema ta’ finanzjament ta’ Malta. Barra minn hekk, is-somma flus li ta’ kull sena l-Parlament jivvota ghall-partiti politici fil-parlament tikkontradixxi l-pozizzjoni tal-Prim Ministru.”
David Friggieri, il-kelliem tal-AD ghall-Gustizzja u Affarijiet Interni, qal li “irridu nkunu assolutament cari li apparti fix-xandir u fis-sistema elettorali, il-finanzjament tal-partiti hija kwistjoni ohra fundamentali fejn id-demokrazija Maltija qeghda tigi mnaqqra. Hija mekkanizmu iehor li effettivament isahhah l-istatus quo u jeskludi partiti godda milli jippartecipaw bis-shih fil-process demokratiku. Filwaqt li pajjizi ohra addottaw process gust u trasparenti fejn l-istat jiffinanzja l-partiti politici skont in-numru ta’ voti li jakkwistaw u fejn id-donazzjonijiet huma irregolati, il-Prim Ministru ghadu kif iddikjara li huwa kontra dan it-tip ta’ finanzjament. Nixtiequ nkunu nafu r-ragunijiet ezatti ghalfejn il-Prim Ministru huwa kontra din l-idea.”
L-Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party qalet li tkun tista’ taghti pozizzjoni aktar dettaljata dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti meta tigi ikkonsultata officjalment. Sadanittant il-proposti tal-AD dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politici jistghu jinqraw hawnhekk:
http://temp1.studio2point3.com/ad/.mt/filebank/documents/finanzjamentpartiti.PDF
PRO Andre` Vella
pr@alternattiva.org.mt
alternattiva.demokratika@gmail.com
