Delia and Grech submit tax returns, bank statements to PN vetting commission

Adrian Delia and Bernard Grech have had to submit tax returns and bank statements for the last three years as part of the Nationalist Party leadership vetting process.

The pair had until Monday to submit a detailed due diligence questionnaire and documentation requested by an expert panel appointed by the PN’s Candidate’s Commission.

A copy of the questionnaire seen by MaltaToday requested documentation linked to the prospective candidates’ business interests, past and present, a statement of wealth and a list of pending or past court cases they may have been involved in.

The candidates also had to separately list regulated companies they are or were involved in – these include firms that are specifically regulated by entities such as the Malta Financial Services Authority and the Gaming Authority.

The questionnaire includes an industry-standard integrity assessment, which candidates had to fill in.

The panel is led by Antonio Ghirlando, a compliance specialist focussing primarily on financial crime compliance, and includes notary Clyde La Rosa and accountant Mario P. Galea.

Party sources told MaltaToday that the experts will not only review the documentation supplied by the prospective candidates but are also empowered to verify the information with banks and through notarial searches.

The prospective candidates may be called in by the panel to answer any questions they may have on the documents submitted.

However, Delia and Grech will also appear in front of the Candidate’s Commission led by Colin Bowman to answer questions other than those linked to their personal financial statuses and business links.

The vetting process, including a thorough financial due diligence of prospective leadership candidates, was introduced last June when the PN changed its statute.

The whole process, which is carried out by the party’s Candidates’ Commission, can take up to six weeks to conclude. The commission has the freedom to appoint experts in financial due diligence to assist in the exercise.

Delia and Grech have to receive the go-ahead from the commission to formally become candidates.

They were the only two to show an interest in contesting the leadership contest requested by the PN general council.