Standards czar urges Prime Minister to publish 2023 asset declarations

The Commissioner for Standards in Public Life has urged the Prime Minister to publish the asset declarations of all cabinet members for 2023.

In an open letter sent to Prime Minister Robert Abela on 30 January 2025, the commissioner referred to a complaint about the fact that ministers’ and parliamentary secretaries’ asset declarations had not been tabled in parliament.

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The standards czar then referred to Abela’s reply to those complaints, where the Prime Minister proposed changes to the current practise. 

He had proposed that all members of Parliament, including ministers, should submit a single annual asset declaration, which would be tabled in Parliament. This would replace the current requirement for ministers to submit separate declarations. The Prime Minister sought the Commissioner’s views on this proposal.

In his reply, the Commissioner stressed the importance of retaining the current level of disclosure, particularly regarding ministers’ income, which ordinary MPs are not required to declare. This sentiment was also expressed by NGO Repubblika who had stated that MPs should be subject to the same scrutiny as cabinet members, and not vice-versa.

The standards czar referenced an OECD report that recommended expanding asset declarations to include more details, such as income for all MPs and disclosure of gifts, including paid travel abroad.

He stated that the commissioner’s office should have the ability to request information from MPs and cabinet members’ relatives if necessary, as well as a formalised system for declaring conflicts of interest.

The standards czar lamented the fact that the public does not have easy and systematic access to asset declarations despite a 2019 recommendation from the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO).

He also referred to another letter he sent Abela in November 2023, where the commissioner formally recommended strengthening the asset declaration system as was proposed by the The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Abela did not reply to that letter. 

“In my opinion, the OECD’s and GRECO’s proposals should be the starting point for a reform in the asset declaration system,” the standards czar said.

The commissioner suggested that any reform should also involve public and civil society consultation. 

Meanwhile, he saw no reason why ministers’ declarations for 2023 should not be tabled in Parliament and urged that this be done as soon as possible.

The commissioner also made reference to MPs tax declarations that as of now, are submitted to the Speaker. “This declaration is an important tool that can help this office verify MPs asset declarations,” he noted, stressing the need to have access to the information.

“I hope that any change leads to an asset declaration system which is more effective as a mechanism for transparency and accountability,” the standards czar concluded.