Government wants 'house in order' before proceeding to state-funding

The government has once again turned down the Opposition’s request to hold talks on state funding for political parties,  saying that the government’s priority was to implement the law and regulate financing of political parties.

The Justice Ministry went on to urge the opposition to support the government for the law to be approved in parliament as soon as possible.

“The government believes that first we must ensure a level of integrity and for parties to earn the people’s trust. Only then, in a public debate, will explore the possibility of state funding,” the ministry said.

It added that it was the Labour government that has given the concrete push for the regulation of party financing.

The Ministry’s comments follows a renewed call by the Nationalist Party urging the government to change its position in favour of state-financing for the political parties.

An original proposal supporting funding by the state was made by the Labour Party in a parliamentary select committee set up under the Nationalist administration.

“This proposal today enjoys the support of both the Nationalist Party and Alternattiva Demokratika,” the PN said.

The PN has called on government to set up a select committee tasked with drafting a law allowing state-funding. “This committee should draft the law in a month. The law comes into effect in 1 January 2014 and therefore there will be no delays to the law,” the PN said.