Party Financing: a step forward, but the details in need of drastic overhaul

 

With reference to the White Paper presented by the Government yesterday on party financing, Deputy Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika,Carmel Cacopardo, said that this is a positive move which Alternattiva Demokratika has included in all its electoral programmes since1992. Alternattiva Demokratika is in complete agreement with the principles of transparency and accountability that the White Paper promotes but feels that there needs to be a profound debate on the details, that is about how the law will eventually be implemented.

Carmel Cacopardo continued: “Alternattiva Demokratika believes that the donation amounts proposed in the White Paper are too high and should be reduced, as should the limits for permissible expenditure by candidates in various elections. The White Paper does not mention loans that parties may acquire from time to time. Neither does it refer to the commercial enterprises owned by the same political parties.”

 

Prof Arnold Cassola, Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika, said: “We note that there is no reference to the expenditure which political parties are allowed to make during an electoral campaign. There should be a reasonable limit for this together with sensible thresholds for expenditure by individual candidates. Alternattiva Demokratika understands the need for legislation regarding party registration but feels that the White Paper goes into too much detail in this regard. Alternattiva Demokratika plans to participate in consultation with the other parties to submit its own proposals.”

 

 

B’referenza għall-White Paper ippreżentata mill-Gvern il-bieraħ dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti, d-Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika,Carmel Cacopardo, qal li hu pass tajjeb ‘l quddiem li dwaru Alternattiva Demokratika tkellmet f’kull programm elettorali tagħha mill-1992. Alternattiva Demokratika tinsab fi qbil sħiħ mal-principji ta’ trasparenza u kontabilita’ li l-White Paper tmexxi ‘l quddiem izda jidhrilha li hemm ħtiega ta’ diskussjoni fil-fond fuq id-dettalji, ċioe fuq kif ser tithaddem l-eventwali ligi.

 

Carmel Cacopardo kompla; “Alternattiva Demokratika jidhrilha li l-ammonti dwar donazzjonijiet li huma proposti fil-White Paper huma għoljin wisq u għandhom jonqsu, bħalma għandhom jonqsu l-limiti dwar l-infieq permissibli minn kandidati fl-elezzjonijiet diversi. Il-White Paper ma titkellimx dwar self li l-partiti jista’ jkollhom minn żmien għal żmien kif ukoll dwar l-intrapriżi kummerċjali tal-istess partiti.”

 

Il-Prof Arnold Cassola, Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika, qal: “Nosservaw li ma hemm l-ebda referenza għall-infieq permissibbli mill-partiti politiċi waqt kampanja elettorali. Għandu jkun hemm limitu raġjonevoli għal dan flimkien ma’ limiti li jagħmlu sens għall-infieq mill-kandidati. Alternattiva Demokratika tifhem il-ħtiega ta’ leġislazzjoni dwar ir-reġistrazzjoni tal-partiti imma taħseb illi l-White Paper tidħol f’ħafna dettalji ħejda f’dan il-qasam. Alternattiva Demokratika fi ħsiebha tipparteċipa f’konsultazzjoni mal-partiti l-oħra biex twassal il-proposti taghha.”

 

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