[WATCH] PD claim they were purposely excluded from MPs' pension vote

The members of Partit Demokratiku (PD) in the House of Representatives have asked the Opposition Whip to be represented in the Bill of Committees on an Act to amend various laws in connection with the pension reform, after claiming that they had been intentionally exlcuded from the vote on MPs' pensions.

Earlier today PD MP Marlene Farrugia claimed that Parliament took the opportunity to vote for early pensions for MPs as soon as Democratic Party (PD) members were not present in the House.

Earlier this week, parliament members voted in favour of giving themselves full two-thirds pension after serving just one term, and giving a pro-rata full pension if they serve a partial first term.

Speaking on a video blog posted on Facebook this morning, Farrugia said that the House was aware of the PD members' reservations on the issue and swiftly passed the amendment without the PD's vote. 

“They know that we, as the Democratic party, don’t think that there should be any pension reform for paras long as there are people living on less than a living pension” she said, explaining that some people receive a pension of €400 a month, which people “cannot live on”.

The same sentiment was expressed by Farrugia when PD members were still in the Labour Opposition, she said, explaining that they did not agree with increasing the wages of parliamentary members. 

“This is a tactic often used within parliament,” Farrugia continued, “in which the Government whip and Nationalist whip agree between each other,” citing the MFSA law which was passed within 40 minutes, she said. 

The PD will also be asking for a debate when the Act is presented for a Third Reading. The debate will be followed by a call for a division on the vote, forcing all MPs to declare where they stand. The PD said that it will also ask Clerk of the House to launch a petition on Parliament’s online system giving citizens a chance to voice their disapproval at the proposals and “make sure that Parliament truly listens.” 

“We stand with the many, not the few,” PD leader Anthony Buttigieg said in a reaction published this afternoon. “PL and PN are looking after their own interests before taking care of the Maltese that elected them. We will take initiatives to ensure that people will have a decent income in retirement.”  “Cost of living is spiralling beyond control and people, especially pensioners, are not managing to make ends meet. We must set an example.” PD MP Godfrey Farrugia says. “PL and PN have turned on the hard-working people of Malta and Gozo. They are partners in this ”, PD MP Marlene Farrugia says.

The PD will also launch a petition on the online system of the House of Representatives with a view of giving people a chance to voice their disapproval at the new law, it said.

“The petition will need to be discussed by the Petitions Committee in Parliament, who will then decide whether a second debate on the subject will be held in the Parliament. This will really show who the politicians that listen to the people are and who are not,” Godfrey Farrugia explained, noting that PL and PN members sit on the committee and their respective parties have already expressed their position in favour of the new law.