Update | Labour accuses Busuttil of wanting taxpayers to pay off PN's debt

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat only considers those who are capable of stealing as ‘competent’, the Nationalist Party said in a statement.

“The fact that the PN has its financial problems is a confirmation that we never stole public and private land while in government like the Labour Party have done,” the PN said. “It is outrageous that Muscat describes the way the Labour Party have stolen a large number of properties, both in Malta and Gozo, as ‘competent’.”

PN secretary-general Chris Said said on Tuesday that the Opposition will propose amendments to the Party Financing Law to ensure that no party enjoys an unfair financial advantage over others. Although the opposition MP did not go into much detail, he explained that political parties should register all public lands in their possession and the income generated from these properties. .
In a press statement, the PL accused the previous Nationalist government of dragging its feet on party financing laws. The Labour government, the statement read, had always acknowledged the importance of party financing laws, particularly in the interest of more transparency about finances.
"It appears that Simon Busuttil has a problem with his party's finances coming under scrutiny," the statement read. "The Labour Party, on the other hand, has long made its finances public during its General Conference."

“With the laws that Muscat is after, political parties will not be on a level playing field, but the Labour Party will profit from public and private buildings that it is using as Labour band clubs,” the PN said in Friday’s statement. “Before this law comes to pass, the Labour Party should return all these buildings to their original owners, either to the government or their original private owners."  

Labour Party reaction
In a reaction, the Labour Party said that Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has his back against a wall, so much so that “he wants taxpayers to pay for the debt that the PN has accumulated”.

“While Busuttil is trying to paint himself as someone who is competent in everything, it must be pointed out that competent people don’t fail their own party and try to get the people to pay for its financial problems,” the PL said in a statement.

They went on to criticise past Nationalist governments for “shelving party financing laws”.

“It appears as though the PN still wants the laws that regulate the parties’ finances to serve as an escape goat [sic],” the Labour Party said, seemingly accusing the PN of wanting the laws to serve as a scapegoat.

“Busuttil is not credible. Competent people don’t fail their own parties and then try and get the people to make good for their debt.”