Following the vote on democracy and the rule of law in Malta in the European Parliament, AD spokesperson on European Affairs Mina Tolu said: “We have come to this point because of the rotten system propped up by successive PLPN governments, the proximity of these parties to big business, unregulated lobbying, and an unrepresentative system which grants untrammeled and absolute power to these two parties. We have also come to this, because Joseph Muscat abused the powers of his office to the full, protecting corrupt friends and cronies and unashamedly doing the bidding of criminal big business, greedy property speculators and multimillionaires. He protected and shielded people involved in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The current situation shows us that the current concentration of power in the office of the Prime Minister is dangerous and subject to abuse. Amongst the root of the problems with Maltese democracy and the rule of law are the current setup of the office of the Prime Minister and the PLPN system that is bankrolled by big business and property tycoons.”
“Malta must adhere to the rule of law and European values. Alternattiva Demokratika has been making proposals for strengthening our democracy for years. Now it seems that others, after years of putting spokes in the wheels of reform are slowly waking up. We reiterate our calls for a truly representative electoral system, a Parliament which holds governments and Prime Ministers to account, a system of public hearings for the appointment of important state officials, and the closing down of party television stations. We reiterate our call for the closing of loopholes in the party financing system, specifically the possibility of funding which both PL and PN have disguised as advertising on their ONE and NET stations, and serious discussions on state funding through a fixed amount of funding pegged to the number of votes parties garner in elections.”
AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo concluded by asserting that “It is a shame that Joseph Muscat has dragged Malta’s name through the mud. It is also a shame that the big parties keep thwarting real reform.”
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Wara li Joseph Muscat ħammeġ isem pajjiżna, għandna bżonn riformi vera u fil-fond
Fl-isfond tal-vot fil-Parlament Ewropew dwar id-demokrazija u s-saltna tad-dritt f’Malta, il-kelliem ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika dwar affarijiet Ewropej Mina Tolu qalu: “Wasalna sa hawn minħabba s-sistema politika mnawwra ta’ pajjiżna, liema sistema hija sostnuta minn gvernijiet suċċessivi tal-PLPN. Dawn il-partiti dejjem għalqu għajnejhom għall-abbużi tal-hekk imsejjħa ‘barunijiet’ u tħabbu ma’ u jħarsu l-interessi tan-negozjanti l-kbar. Il-PLPN dejjem qablilhom li meta jkunu fil-gvern jaħtfu l-istituzzjonijiet u jkollhom poter assolut. Wasalna s’hawn anke għax Joseph Muscat uża u abbuża l-poteri kbar li għandu Prim Ministru. Għalaq għajnejh għall-abbużi u ipproteġa lil sħabu korrotti, lill-klikka ta’ madwaru, u bla mistħija ta’ xejn mexa fl-interessi tan-negozjanti l-kbar, tal-ispekulaturi u l-multimiljunarji, u dawk li l-partit tiegħu stess bir-raġun, kien isejjaħ ‘barunijiet’. Ipproteġa wkoll mingħajr mistħija lil persuni qrib tiegħu involuti b’xi mod fl-assassinju ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia. Is-sitwazzjoni preżenti turi kemm il-poteri tal-Prim Ministru huma eċċessivi, u miftuħa għall-abbuż. Dan kollu għandu jinbidel. Flimkien mal-poteri eċċessivi tal-Prim Ministru, is-saltna tad-dritt u d-demokrazija f’Malta huma mhedda wkoll mis-sistema PLPN mixtrija minn interessi finanzjarji kbar u spekulaturi multimiljunarji.”
“Malta għandha tirrispetta s-saltna tad-dritt u timxi fuq il-valuri Ewropew tad-demokrazija. Alternattiva Demokratika ilha tagħmel proposta wara oħra għal snin sħaħ. Issa milli jidher, wara snin jagħmlu l-bsaten fir-roti hemm min, bil-mod il-mod, qed iqum mir-raqda. Nerġgħu ntennu l-proposti tagħna għal sistema elettorali verament proporzjonali u rappreżentattiva, għal Parlament b’saħħtu li jiskrutinja verament il-ħidma tal-gvernijiet u tal-prim ministri, sistema ta’ smiegħ pubbliku għal ħatriet ta’ uffiċċjali tal-istat f’pożizzjonijiet importanti u sensittivi, u l-għeluq tal-istazzjonijiet televiżivi tal-partiti. Nisħqu li l-liġi tal-finanzjament tal-partiti għandha tkun riveduta biex jingħalqu t-toqob kbar li fiha, speċifikament il-possibilità li donazzjonijiet meqjusa bħala illegali mil-liġi lill-PN u lill-PL jinħbew bħala reklamar fuq il-ONE u n-NET. Nisħqu fuq diskussjoni serja fuq finanzjament pubbliku ibbażata fuq ammont ta’ flus skont il-voti miksuba fl-elezzjonijiet. In-nuqqas ta’ azzjoni fuq dawn l-affarijiet ifisser li Malta tibqa’ ostaġġ tal-interessi finanzjarji kbar.”
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ AD Carmel Cacopardo għalaq billi saħaq illi “Huwa ta’ għajb li Joseph Muscat ħammeġ isem pajjiżna. Huwa wkoll ta’ għajb li l-PLPN għamlu l-almu tagħhom tul is-snin biex jissabotaġġjaw ir-riformi vera u fil-fond tas-sistema politika tagħna.”
