Opposition to table motion repealing government’s public procurement legal amendments

The Nationalist Party has voiced its disagreement to recent amendments to public procurement legislation, saying the changes grant the Prime Minister excessive powers.

“It is evident that these recent legal changes were introduced solely to give the Prime Minister greater control over appeals concerning the awarding of public contracts – often granted to individuals closely linked to the Labour Party,” the PN said in a statement.

Public procurement is the process through which the government uses public funds to purchase goods, services, or works from the private sector, such as construction contracts, maintenance works, or supplies for public entities.

According to the party, the new rules give the Prime Minister unlimited discretion to appoint additional permanent members to the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB), with no limitations on replacements. This move, they said, poses a high risk of political manipulation, preferential treatment, and corruption.

The PN said it would be tabling a parliamentary motion to repeal the “secretive amendments” which were carried out without public consultation. The motion was submitted by PN MPs Claudette Buttigieg, Rebekah Borg, and Adrian Delia

“Notably, the Prime Minister is being granted further powers to appoint members to the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB), the body responsible for reviewing decisions related to public procurement,” the PN said. “A clear example of this was seen in the appointment of Richard Matrenza, a person with close ties to the Labour Party, as one of the supposedly independent members who will be tasked with deciding on appeals involving public contracts – often worth millions of euros.”

The PN recalled the recent case concerning the waste incinerator, where the court expressed its concerns regarding conflicts of interest on the Review Board and even ordered the process to start anew. “Despite this, the Labour Government chose to ignore the ruling and proceeded with awarding the tender to the same consortium, clearly demonstrating the dangers of such amendments.”

“The court itself has emphasised that public procurement is one of the most vulnerable sectors to waste, abuse, fraud, and corruption. We are now witnessing the Government tightening its personal grip on the entire appeal process for public contracts, while undermining the Board’s ability to act independently,” it said.

The PN concluded by saying that rather than introducing changes that compromise the independence of the Public Contracts Review Board, reforms should be made to strengthen its autonomy and impartiality, “thereby ensuring the integrity of the public tendering process.”

Government denies PN claims

In response to the PN statement, government stressed that the reforms will strengthen transparency and governance.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said that the previous system led to significant delays in certain instances, while the amendments provide the PCRB greater flexibility.

"These modifications align fully with a court ruling, ensuring compliance and integrity in the review process," government stated.

PL slams 'conflict of interest'

In its own statement, the Labour Party highlighted what it describes as a blatant conflict of interest from Adrian Delia. The PL said that Delia is the legal representative for a consortium that lost a government contract and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the state over the matter.

The PL was referring to the fact that Delia is part of Hitachi-Zosen's legal team in the appeal regarding WasteServ's Magħtab incinerator project.

Delia's conflict of interest, according to the PL, further confirms that the PN remains hostage to personal interests that have long influenced its agenda.

The PL also slammed the PN for using the case as justification for the motion in Parliament, arguing that this move is another sign that the opposition is more interested in causing disruptions.