The deal reported in the press between the Inland Revenue Department and Charles Polidano raises serious questions as to how the terms in this deal were negotiated. The public has a right to the full details of the reduction in tax dues given to Charles ‘Iċ-Ċaqnu’ Polidano and his companies by the Commissioner for Inland Revenue and how the sum agreed on ended up being so heavily discounted.
ADPD – The Greens’ Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said: ”This is a matter of public interest. Any such deal reached needs to stand up to public scrutiny. Civil servants should have limited discretion on such matters and therefore for the avoidance of doubt that such limited discretion was not abused, we call on the Auditor General and the National Audit Office to conduct an audit into the negotiation brief. The dubious method of payment in kind in lieu of tax, such as the transfer of properties and the ‘bartering’ of works should also be audited. The tax owed is substantial and clarity and transparency is paramount.”
“Any suspicions that tax reductions are a ‘thank you’ for any donations to the party in government must be swiftly dispelled. It is well known and documented that party financing laws are circumvented by big donors purportedly buying services from commercial companies owned by PL and PN, which money is used for propping up their campaigning efforts especially on their TV stations. Every Euro taken off a tax bill is a Euro taken away from a child’s education, from our healthcare, from spending on our environmental wellbeing.”
ADPD – The Greens’ Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo will be formally asking the NAO for an investigation into the matter.
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Mistoqsijiet serji dwar l-iskont fit-taxxi ta’ Polidano
Il-ftehim irrappurtat fl-istampa bejn id-Dipartiment tat-Taxxi Interni u Charles Polidano jqajjem mistoqsijiet serji dwar kif ġew innegozjat dal-ftehim. Il-pubbliku għandu dritt ikun jaf kif il-Kummissarju għat-Taxxi wasal biex jagħti skont hekk kbir lil Charles ‘Iċ-Ċaqnu’ Polidano u lill-kumpaniji tiegħu.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo qal: ”Din hija kwistjoni ta’ interess pubbliku. Kwalunkwe ftehim bħal dan, li jinvolvi għexieren ta’ miljuni f’taxxi jeħtieġ li jgħaddi mill-għarbiel tal-iskrutinju pubbliku. Iċ-ċivil għandu jkollu diskrezzjoni limitata dwar kwistjonijiet bħal dawn u għalhekk biex jiġi evitat kull dubju li tali diskrezzjoni ma ġietx abbużata, nappellaw lill-Awditur Ġenerali u lill-Uffiċċju Nazzjonali tal-Verifika biex jagħmlu verifika tal-ftehim u tan-negozjati li saru. Il-metodu dubjuż ta’ ħlas permezz ta’ bini jew tpartit ta’ xogħolijiet flok taxxa għandu wkoll jaqa’ taħt skrutinju. It-taxxa dovuta hija sostanzjali u ċ-ċarezza u t-trasparenza huma ta’ importanza kbira.”
“Kif se nkunu nafu jekk it-tnaqqis fit-taxxa huwx xi forma ta’ ringrazzjament għal donazzjonijiet lill-partit fil-gvern? Huwa fatt magħruf u dokumentat li l-liġi dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti mimlija toqob u li donaturi kbar taparsi jixtru servizzi minn kumpaniji kummerċjali tal-PL u l-PN, imma dawn il-flus filfatt jintużaw biex isostnu l-magni tal-partiti speċjalment permezz ta’ propaganda imxandra fuq l-istazzjonijiet tat-TV tagħhom. Kull Ewro li jinħafer minn kont tat-taxxa huwa Ewro meħud mill-edukazzjoni tat-tfal, mill-kura tas-saħħa tagħna, mill-infieq biex ikollna ambjent aħjar.”
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo se jkun qed jitlob formalment lill-Uffiċċju Nazzjonali tal-Verifika biex jinvestiga l-materja.
