‘Prime Minister is overstepping his powers’ – AD
Joseph Muscat’s ‘play on words’ on spring hunting abrogative referendum is seriously denting Malta’s democratic process, AD says.
4 May 2014, 11:29am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
2 min read
Warning Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to ‘stop playing about with laws and regulations’, Alternattiva Demokratika has hit out at Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for bypassing the constitution in allocating more responsibilities to the president, and for amending laws to make the appointment of MPs possible.
“The appointment of members of parliament on various government boards was only made possible thanks to the amendment of a number of laws. Members of Parliament who are appointed on these Boards are not in a position to perform their Parliamentary duties adequately.”
“This action has undermined the democratic process because through it an MP becomes part of the operation of government instead of doing his duty of overseeing it,” AD Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said.
Cacopardo – who is also a candidate for the upcoming MEP elections- also argued that the prime minister is ‘playing about’ with words on the spring hunting abrogative referendum.
“At times he says that the referendum will take place if there are enough signatures and at others he gives the impression that he is willing to consider a request for the abrogative referendum legislation to be toned down,” Cacopardo said.
The Electoral Commission is verifying over 45,000 signatures, more than 10% of the electorate, to hold an abrogative referendum against spring hunting. Malta is allowed to derogate from an EU ban on spring hunting for the taking of 11,000 Turtle Dove and 5,000 Quail, but critics say illegal hunting and poaching remains a problem throughout the season.
On his part, AD Chairperson Arnold Cassola, argued that the prime minister’s decision to allocate ministerial responsibilities in the social sector to President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca is not permitted in the constitution.
“Together with the fact that the Prime Minister's wife is being given institutional roles in Maltese government delegations abroad shows that the Maltese Prime Minister is overstepping his powers,” Cassola said.
