NGO Commissioner rebuts Repubblika claims: 'I have always acted autonomously’

NGO Commissioner Anthony Abela Medici has pushed back against accusations that he wants to silence rule of law NGO Repubblika, insisting he has “always acted autonomously”.

In a statement on Monday, the Voluntary Organisations Commissioner said that a request made to Repubblika to comply with the law was also made to other NGOs.

He insisted that most NGOs had taken the suggestions for changes in their statute to become compliant with the law on board.

“The Commissioner would like to re-confirm that he acted in an equal and unbiased manner with other voluntary organisations, who were not complying with the law, in accordance with the powers given to him under Article 7 of the Act,” Abela Medici said.

He invited Repubblika to discuss any anomalies contained in the organisation’s statute to ensure they are compliant with the law.

“The Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations would like to clarify that in his role he has always acted autonomously and independently without any political interference, including but not limited to the Office of the Prime Minister,” Abela Medici said.

The issue concerns a letter sent to Repubblika in which Abela Medici highlighted two issues, which he claimed breached the law regulating NGOs.

One concerned the manner by which the NGO financed its operations and the other in which it was accused of being politically affiliated.

The latter accusation was based on articles written in the press by various exponents of Repubblika.

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Repubblika has filed a judicial protest against the commissioner.