(8) Lobbying u finanzjament
L-influwenza mhux dovuta fil-politika għandha tkun irregolata mill-Kostituzzjoni: għandhom jiġu rregolati l-prinċipji bażiċi tal-iffinanzjar, il-lobbying u l-użu ta’ proprjetà tal-istat għall-vantaġġ politiku tal-partiti politiċi. Għandhom jiġu rregolati b’mod aħjar l-azzjonijiet tal-gvern fir-rigward tal-impjiegi fis-settur pubbliku, il-ħruġ tal-permessi eċċ.
(silta mill-Kapitlu Numru 6 tal-Programm Elettorali ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika)
L-aħbar tat-Times dal-għodu li l-Partit Nazzjonalista m’huwiex f’posizzjoni li jħallas il-pagi tal-impjegati tiegħu m’hiex aħbar tajba.
M’huwiex ċar eżattament x’ġara minħabba li Pawlu Borg Olivier, Segretarju Ġenerali tal-PN, ma weġibx il-mistoqsijiet tal-ġurnalista tat-Times billi dak li ntalab tqies bħala kummerċjalment sensittiv!
Niftakru imma li fi Frar 2013 kien hemm l-aħbar li Żaren Vassallo silef kwart ta’ miljun euro (€250,000) lill-PN. Dakinnhar kienu qalulna li dan kien arranġament kummerċjali proviżorju. Is-self kienu qalulna ser jitħallas!
Dan kollu jerġa’ jiftaħ beraħ id-diskussjoni dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi.
Il-Bank of Vassallo ċertament li m’huwiex is-soluzzjoni. Huwa importanti li s-saħħa tal-flus ma tibqax tkun ċentrali fil-politika. Għax dak li fil-fatt ilu jiġri għal numru kbir ta’ snin (mhux biss f’Malta). Hemm bżonn li tkun megħluba r-resistenza li l-PN kellu għal trasparenza fil-finanzjament tal-politka. Għal xi żmien anke’ l-Partit Laburista kellu din ir-resistenza, sakemm hu ukoll beda jiffaċċja d-diffikultajiet.
Alternattiva Demokratika fil-programm elettorali tal-aħħar elezzjoni kienet ċara, kif kienet f’kull elezzjoni ġenerali.
Il-posizzjoni illum suppost li hi committment min-naħa tal-Partit Laburista li waħda mill-ewwel liġijiet li ser jitressqu fil-Parlament li ser jiltaqa’ bħal-lum ġimgħa ser tkun dik dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi.
Nistennew u naraw.
It is normal for a commercial company to take up a loan from a commercial bank for the purposes of its activities.
But is a commercial company owned by a political party “a normal commercial operation”? In my opinion it is not.
Hence the declaration that business tycoon Nazzareno Vassallo has loaned the sum of €250,000 to a media company belonging to the PN is bad news. It is an additional exercise in the financing of a major political party in Malta by a major player in local business activity.
The terms and conditons of the loan have not been disclosed.
The very existence of this loan proves, if any proof was needed, of how close the Nationalist Party is to the major players in the construction industry.
The Prime Minister and Leader of the Nationalist Party has assured one and all that this did not give rise to any sort of obligation of the Nationalist Party towards Mr Vassallo and his companies. This loan will be paid he said, and very shortly.
I do not know whether and how the loan will be paid. What I know is that public confirmation of this loan has sealed the view of many that business and politics are too close for comfort.
It was known by all that Dr Lawrence Gonzi and his PN have done a great disservice to politics in Malta by promising legislation on regulating the financing of political parties and not keeping to his word. The approval of this loan explains clearly what the Leader of the PN really thinks on the regulation of the financing of political parties.
Alternattiva Demokratika in Parliament after the March 9 elections will be submitting proposals for legislation to ensure that the finances of political parties are transparent and regulated by law.
PN and the PL Members of Parliament, in the outgoing legislature, had for their consideration a Private Member’s Bill on regulating the financing of political parties. They ignored it.
Alternattiva Demokratika will improve that draft and present it for discussion in the new Parliament.
originally published in di-ve.com on Friday March 1, 2013
The following extract is taken verbatim from Chapter 6 of AD’s Electoral Manifesto
AD believes in the introduction of strict rules on donations to political parties, coupled with the state financing of political parties. As regards the former, we believe that donations in excess of €5,000 should be declared by political parties and those over €40,000 should be made illegal. In the case of state financing of political parties, we suggested that the state should grant on an annual basis to all political parties €3 for every vote obtained on a national level, during a general or a European election.
There should be a system of state financing for political parties. State financing provides transparency and can be coupled with strict regulations such as ensuring that political parties produce audited accounts on a regular basis.
Political parties should present their accounts every year and these should be verified by an independent commission appointed by the Auditor General.
The sum which each candidate can spend in a general election should be increased from €1400 to €4000. But this amount should include the expenditure made the party at a national level divided by the number of candidates presented. Any expenditure made by third parties to assist the candidate should also be included.
The accounts presented by each candidate should be verified by a commission appointed by the Auditor General.
The expenditure made by each candidate should be tax exempt provided that it is within the established limits.
A commission should establish the value of government property leased to political parties and revise rents and leases to market conditions on a regular basis.
L-Estratt segwenti hu mehud kelma b’kelma mill-Kapitlu 6 tal-Manifest Elettorali ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika
AD temmen fl-introduzzjoni ta’ regoli aktar stretti fuq id-donazzjonijiet, flimkien mal-finanzjament tal-partiti mill-istat. Fir-rigward tal-ewwel, nemmnu li donazzjonijiet ogħla minn €5,000 għandhom jiġu ddikjarati mill-partiti politiċi u dawk ta’ aktar minn €40,000 għandhom ikunu illegali. Fil-każ tal-finanzjament tal-partiti mill-istat, nipproponu li l-istat jagħti lill-partiti politiċi kollha €3 għal kull vot miksub fuq livell nazzjonali f’elezzjoni ġenerali jew Ewropea.
Għandu jkun hemm sistema ta’ finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi mill-istat. Il-finanzjament tal-istat jipprovdi t-trasparenza u jista’ jingħaqad ma’ regoli stretti bħal, ngħidu aħna, li kull partit ikun obbligat ikollu kontijiet awditajati.
Il-partiti politiċi għandhom jippreżentaw kull sena l-kontijiet tagħhom u dawn għandhom jiġu vverifikati minn kummissjoni indipendenti maħtura mill-Awditur Ġenerali.
Is-somma li jista’ jonfoq kull kandidat fil-kampanja elettorali għandha titla’ minn €1400 għal €4000. Iżda dan l-ammont għandu jinkludi n-nefqa magħmula mill-partit fuq livell nazzjonali diviża bl-għadd tal-kandidati. Kull nefqa minn terzi biex tgħin lil kandidat għandha tkun inkluża wkoll. Il-kontijiet ippreżentati minn kull kandidat għandhom jiġu vverifikati minn kummissjoni maħtura mill-Awditur Ġenerali. In-nefqa ta’ kull kandidat għandha tkun eżenti mit-taxxa sakemm din tkun fil-limiti stabiliti.
Għandha titwaqqaf kummissjoni biex tistabbilixxi l-valur tal-proprjetà tal-gvern mikrija lill-partiti politiċi u tirrevedi l-kirjiet għal-livelli tas-suq fuq bazi regolari.
Lawrence Gonzi f’attivita’ politika l-lejla kien rappurtat li insista biex Joseph Muscat jippubblika l-lista tal-kuntratturi li qed jgħinu u jiffinanzjaw lill-Partit Laburista. Ġie rappurtat ukoll li qal li jrid ikun jaf min huma l-kuntratturi wara l-proposti li l-Partit Laburista għamel in konnessjoni mat-tibdil propost mill-PL fil-MEPA kif ukoll dwar il-proposta tal-Power Station.
Lawrence Gonzi qed jagħmel sewwa jinsisti għal din l-informazzjoni kollha. Informazzjoni li Alternattiva Demokratika ilha titlob snin twal sa mit-twaqqif tagħha. Tajjeb li anke Lawrence Gonzi issa jħoss il-ħtieġa tagħha. Donnu qed jiftaħ għajnejħ għall-ħażen li hawn madwaru!
Imma Lawrence Gonzi kien ikun iktar kredibbli li kieku jagħti l-eżempju u jkun hu l-ewwel li jagħti l-lista tal-benefatturi tal-Partit Nazzjonalista. Għax il-Partit Nazzjonalista ilu mill-1995 ikaxkar saqajh dwar il-ħtieġa ta’ liġi li tirregola l-finanzjament tal-partiti poltiiċi. Qatt ma ħass l-urġenza li jieħu passi, probabilment għax dejjem ħassu li kien minn fuq!
Forsi Lawrence Gonzi ma jarax il-ħtieġa li jippubblika l-lista tal-benefatturi tiegħu minħabba li jidher li din ser tibda tippubblika l-Malta Today. Nhar il-Ħadd li għadda din il-gazzetta ippubblikat l-istorja tas-Sammaritan Żaren Vassallo. Storja li ġiet miċħuda kemm minn Pawlu Borg Olivier (li jidher li ippreżenta kawża ta’ libell) kif ukoll mis-Sammaritan innifsu.
Fit-tweġiba li Pawlu Borg Olivier ta’ dwar l-artiklu tal-Malta Today qalilna li l-PN dejjem uża servizzi tal-kumpanija tas-Sammaritan Vassallo (MFCC). Qalilna li “The party said it leases services from MFCC and other suppliers through commercial arrangements, including barter agreements, as is the norm for the two parties.” Jiġifieri, PBO qed jgħidilna li l-PN ġieli flok ħlas partat il-kiri ta’ tined ma affarijiet oħra. Interessanti din. Il-mistoqsija tiġi waħdha: x’kien in-natura ta’ tpartit? Għax ngħiduha kif inhi, Żaren Vassallo iktar hu assoċjat mal-Yellow Pages milli mat-tpartit.
Issa drajnihom lill-Partit Nazzjonalista u lill-Partit Laburista: meta jkunu fil-Gvern ma jieħdux passi dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politici għax ikunu minn fuq u meta jkunu fl-Opposizzjoni jokorbu għax qegħdin minn taħt.
Matul l-2012 it-tnejn li huma kellhom ċans tad-deheb meta permezz ta’ mozzjoni privata Franco Debono ressaq abbozz ta’ liġi propju dwar dan is-suġgett. Abbozz li kien fih xi affarijiet żgħar x’tirranġa imma li kieku l-PN u l-PL verament riedu jilleġislaw kellhom ix-xogħol kollu lest. Imma ma riedux u għalhekk qegħdin fl-istat attwali.
Din hi s-sitwazzjoni li Parlament magħmul u ikkontrollat minn żewġ partiti politiċi ġiebna fiha. Sitwazzjoni li nistgħu noħorġu minna biss bil-wasla ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika fil-Parlament. Għax Alternattiva Demokratika ma hi fil-but ta’ ħadd, kif inhuma l-PN u l-PL.
Jekk trid li l-Parlament ma jkunx fil-but tal-kuntratturi għażla waħda biss għandek: li tivvota Alternattiva Demokratika.
L-infieq tal-PN u tal-PL f’din il-kampanja elettorali hu sostanzjali. Qed jintefqu l-miljuni. Jew biex inkun iktar preċiż qed jintużaw riżorsi li jiswew il-miljuni.
Jieħdu għalihom meta ngħidulhom li mill-politika tagħhom kif ukoll mill-mod kif jaġixxu huwa ċar li qegħdin fil-but tal-kuntratturi.
Wara li l-bieraħ kkumentajt dwar dan fil-konferenza stampa organizzata minn Alternattiva Demokratika, illum żewg rapporti fil-Malta Today u s-Sunday Times komplew jitfgħu iktar dawl fuq il-materja.
L-intervista ta’ Anġlu Farruga fis-Sunday Times u l-istorja dwar il-karita’ tas-Sammaritan Żaren Vassallo mal-PN fil-Malta Today jisjegaw ħafna affarijiet.
Il-PN qed jiċħad din l-istorja u qed jhedded lill-Malta Today b’azzjoni legali.
Forsi issa huwa iktar faċli li wieħed jifhem għaliex għad m’għandniex liġi li tirregola l-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi f’Malta.
Dr Lawrence Gonzi, some days ago complained that the Labour Party was spending quite a lot on its electoral campaign.
Last Sunday a local newspaper reported on replies it received from poltical parties on the manner in which they are financing their electoral campaign.
Ralph Cassar Secretary General of Alternattiva Demokratika said that the Greens had a maximum budget of €20,000 for this electoral campaign. It was financed from small donations received from supporters. The largest donation in 2013 was €250.
Then there was deafening silence from the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party. They have not supplied any information on the manner in which their electoral campaign has been financed nor as to how much it is expected to cost.
It is clear to one and all that the PN and the PL are sparing no costs in this electoral campaign. They are spending millions of euros.
The question remains: who is financing the PN and the PL? How will the PN and the PL pay back their sponsors?
Malta as yet does not regulate the financing of political parties. Lawrence Gonzi in his years as Prime Minister has spoken a lot on the subject. But his deeds did not match his words.
A Private Member’s motion was presented in Parliament last year by maverick MP Franco Debono. Yet none supported him.
A Green MP after the March 2013 elections will champion the need to regulate the financing of political parties.
The others are not interested.
First published on di-ve.com on January 25, 2013
Il-Ministru Tonio Fenech il-bieraħ ippreżenta ir-rapport tal-KPMG dwar il-proposta tal-Labour fuq l-enerġija waqt konferenza stampa fil-kwartieri ġenerali tal-PN.
Il-KPMG kienu imqabbda mill-Korporazzjoni Enemalta biex jagħmlu dan ir-rapport. Nifhem li l-ispejjes ta’ dan ir-rapport tħallsu mill-Korporazzjoni Enemalta. Jiġifieri mit-taxxi li nħallsu aħna lkoll. Qed ngħid mit-taxxi u mhux mill-kontijiet tad-elettriku minħabba li dak li l-Korporazzjoni Enemalta tiġbor mill-kontijiet mhux biżżejjed biex tħallas l-ispejjes tagħha. Tingħata l-għajnuna permezz ta’ sussidji li jipprovdilha l-Gvern mit-taxxi.
Mela l-konklużjoni loġika ta’ dan kollu hi li l-Korporazzjoni Enemalta ikkummissjonat rapport biex jintuża fil-kampanja elettorali tal-PN. Ir-rapport ma kienx meħtieġ għall-Gvern, iżda kien meħtieġ għall-PN.
Naħseb li dan hu finanzjament illeċtu tal-kampanja elettorali tal-PN bl-użu ta’ fondi pubbliċi.
F’pajjiżi oħra l-istampa indipendenti kienet tqajjem kjass u teżiġi li l-PN iħallas lura lill-Enemalta l-ispejjes li għamlet. Il-korporazzjonijiet pubbliċi m’għandhomx jintużaw b’mod partiġjan!
Imma donnu li f’Malta kollox jgħaddi! Qiesu ma ġara xejn.
Smajt lill-Avukat Gonzi jgħid li donnu Dottor Joseph Muscat għandu l-flus ħerġin minn widnejh. Dan qalu meta kien qed jikkummenta dwar il-gimmick tax-xandira tal-Labour f’nofs il-lejl biex iħabbrilna l-bidu tal-kampanja elettorali u s-slogan tal-PL għall-elezzjoni.
Ftakart ftit meta l-Avukat l-ieħor, Pawlu Borg Olivier, kien qalilna li l-PN fqir ħafna ħdejn il-Partit Laburista.
U ngħid jiena mela x’kien qed iżomm lill-Avukat Gonzi milli jagħmel liġi dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti?
In-nuqqas tal-PN f’dan il-qasam hu l-kawża ta’ ħafna mill-gwaj fil-politika. Din hi waħda minn dawk l-affarijiet li dwarhom Franco Debono kellu raġun.
U bilħaqq, jista’ xi ħadd jispjegali ftit kif partit li jgħid li hu fqir jonfoq dawk il-flejjes kollha fil-billboards? Għal dawn ma ntefqux euro jew tnejn!
Il-liġi elettorali tistabilixxi li kandidat għall-elezzjoni ġenerali m’għandux jonfoq iktar minn €1,400 (l-ekwivalenti ta’ Lm600). Dan l-ammont jinkludi dak li jonfqu f’isem il-kandidat il-“ħbieb tiegħu”.
Kemm-il kandidat ser jinjora dan il-limitu fl-elezzjoni tad-9 ta’ Marzu 2013 u qiesu ma ġara xejn?
Il-problema mhiex biss l-ammont minfuq, iżda iktar u iktar minn fejn jiġu dawn il-flejjes. Malajr tifhmu għaliex għal sena wara l-oħra jkollna t’kaxkir tas-saqajn biex ikollna liġi suriet in-nies dwar il-finanzjament tal-politika.
Minn fejn jiġu dawn il-flejjes?
Tweġiba żgħira ħadniha meta Noel Borg Hedley, dak li kien Segretarju Privat ta’ Tonio Fenech, Ministru tal-Finanzi, ammetta fil-Qorti, li kkorrompa ruħu billi aċċetta l-flus biex jinfluwenza proċess amministrattiv. Il-flus tal-korruzzjoni li irċieva mingħand żviluppaturi (l-ahwa Jeffrey u Peter Montebello) għamel użu minnhom fil-kampanja elettorali tal-Ministru Tonio Fenech.
Għal Lawrence Gonzi jidher li qiesu ma ġara xejn meta fil-Qorti saret dikjarazzjoni ċara li l-korruzzjoni iffinanzjat il-kampanja elettorali ta’ wieħed mill-Ministri tiegħu.
Qed ngħid wieħed: għax b’dak nafu.
