Labour urges PN to publish its financial accounts

The Labour Party has called on the Nationalist Party to publish its financial accounts for the past 25 years, saying that the party should explain what happened to the funds collected for the construction of the party’s headquarters.

“It is clear that Simon Busuttil doesn’t want his party’s financial position to be scrutinised. If he wants to be credible, Busuttil must publish the party’s accounts for the past 25 years,” Labour said in a statement.

Busuttil yesterday called on Labour to divest itself of government and privately-owned properties that were expropriated in the 1970s and 1980s.

He said that if Labour does not return the 28 expropriated properties and does not accept the opposition’s amendment to the party financing law, the PN will take the case to the Constitutional Court.

Busuttil added that while the opposition had every intention to vote in favour of the law, the PN would take all the necessary steps to ensure a level playing field between the two parties.

Insisting that political parties are crucial in democracy, Busuttil said “it’s either State funding for all or for nobody, but what government is proposing is public funding for Labour alone.”

Explaining that “the PN is not expecting anyone to pay for our debts,” he stressed “all we want is Labour to divest itself of expropriated government and privately-owned properties. Then we’ll be on an equal footing.”

The Labour Party however claimed that Busuttil was asking the taxpayers to finance the party’s debts.

“Parliament is currently debating a legislation to regulate political parties. This law was shelved by the Nationalist administration for years. Now Busuttil is insisting that taxpayers’ money should be used to finance the party,” PL said.

According to Labour, the PN’s criticism over the Labour band clubs was “a clear manifestation of political hypocrisy after a Nationalist administration failed to address loopholes in the rent law”.

It added that the PN should explain how a property in Rahal Gdid was turned into a PN band club instead of extending the locality’s health care centre.