Parliament to discuss GRECO evaluation findings

The report from an evaluation of Malta undertaken by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) will be debated in parliament, following a motion by Opposition leader Adrian Delia.  

The report, published on Wednesday, notes that on paper, Malta has an “impressive arsenal of public institutions involved in checks and balances, but their effectiveness is being questioned in recent years due to a wave of controversies concerning the integrity of senior government officials in relation to the use of state resources and privatizations, tenders, energy supply, the sale of land, the award of contracts and public positions”.

In parliament, Delia stressed that the report was one that condemned the government’s behaviour, which he said was threatening the country’s democracy.

He said he was invoking standing order 13, which deals with matters of urgent public importance and that under normal circumstances, he would have demanded that the report be discussed immediately. However, he said he was aware that there was an urgent need for parliament to approve amendments to the country’s electoral laws, and was asking that the debate be held next week or at the first available time.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said the government had no problem discussing the report and was happy to discuss any claims of money laundering levelled at members of the House.

However, he said the government’s side was not in agreement that the debate needed to be held urgently. “The fact that he is asking for it to take place next week in and of itself means it is not urgent.”