[WATCH] Stubborn Abela refuses to publish cabinet's 2023 asset declarations

Prime Minister Robert Abela is still refusing to publish cabinet members’ 2023 asset declarations, insisting that he is not obliged to do so.

Abela was fielding journalists’ questions a few days after the Standards Commissioner urged him to publish the documents. While Abela is not obliged to publish the asset declarations, Prime Ministers have made it an unofficial practice to publish such information, with the standards czar himself saying that there is no reason not to publish it.

On Thursday, MaltaToday asked why he hasn’t yet published the asset declaration. Abela referred to a ruling given by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia who said that it is up to the prime minister to decide whether to table the declarations or not.

Abela also mentioned a number of proposed changes to the asset declaration system, explaining that the planned reform would ensure more transparency as it would include all MPs’ asset declarations.

He also questioned present instances where opposition MPs would work in sectors that they could be responsible for should they be elected. “With the planned reform we want one simple thing: that the 79 MPs fill out one uniform asset declaration that offers a higher level of transparency than what we have today.”

When asked again why the information hasn’t been published he said, “There’s a procedure that can request this from the cabinet secretary. If that request is made, one considers it.”

Like Anġlu Farrugia, Abela noted that there have been three occasions when these declarations were not tabled.

“This asset declaration is done for the Prime Minister to scrutinise,” Abela insisted, adding that he followed the existing cabinet manual.

Standards czar's investigation

Last January, Momentum had asked the Standards Commissioner to investigate all ministers and parliamentary secretaries for their failure to table their declaration of assets for 2023.

The party's chairperson, Arnold Cassola stressed that the declarations were long overdue.

“Their failure to submit the asset declarations is testimony to their arrogant disrespect towards transparency and the citizen,” Cassola wrote.