‘Failure to declare assets shows a lack in good governance’: Repubblika

NGO Repubblika has said Prime Minister Robert Abela’s decision to conceal his asset declarations and that of his ministers represents backsliding of good governance.  

“Prime Minister Robert Abela's decision to hide the declarations of his and his ministers' assets and financial interests is a major step backwards in the quality of our country's governance,” they said in a statement on Wednesday.

Last February, MaltaToday asked why the PM is yet to publish his 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.

Repubblika said that while transparency among MPs is a positive step, “it is important to remind the Prime Minister that Parliament does not fall under his authority.”

"He is only a member of Parliament, and as a government leader, he must be accountable to Parliament, not Parliament to him. The Prime Minister's arrogance in claiming to decide how Parliament regulates itself is dangerous and anti-democratic," the NGO said.

Repubblika pointed out what Abela had mentioned on this issue, “Abela argued that it does not make sense for Ministers to fill out two declaration forms, one as Ministers and another as MPs.”

“Abela also said that the public does not need to see Ministers' declarations because he has reviewed them himself,” they said, “If the Prime Minister scrutinised the Ministers' declarations, who has scrutinised the Prime Minister's own declaration?"

The NGO concluded by stating that ignoring the OECD’s recommendations to increase transparency among Ministers, Abela has “turned the clock back 30 years.”