Talks on democracy 'without pre-conditions'

The government and the opposition have agreed on the setting up of a Parliamentary Select Committee to discuss the strengthening of democracy.

The Labour Party announced the agreement yesterday afternoon and the Prime Minister confirmed it in a statement to the House yesterday evening, saying the two sides were going into the talks without pre-conditions in order to address issues in the national interest.

The committee will be formed of Tonio Borg, Austin Gatt and Francis Zammit Dimech for the government and Anġlu Farrugia, Charles Mangion and Karmenu Vella for the opposition.

The substitute members will be Michael Frendo, Beppe Fenech Adami and Charlo' Bonnici for the government and Evarist Bartolo, Michael Falzon and George Vella for the opposition.

Meetings will be presided by the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, who will not have a vote.

Dr Gonzi told Parliament the road ahead was not easy but he was confident that both sides would seek what was best for the country. He said each item will be tackled independently and not as a package.

The committee, which will regulate its own procedures and hear the views of civil society, could agree to divide itself in two committees to discuss several items together.

The Prime Minister said the committee has been asked to submit a report on progress by October 31.

Anġlu Farrugia (MLP) said the agreement on the setting up of this select committee with equal membership from both sides was significant, as was the fact that, to a large extent, both sides had agreed in their correspondence on what needed to be discussed.

Dr Farrugia said the Labour Party would put the national interest first and he augured that the result would be a better electoral law, a law on party funding, more effective measures against corruption and a better resourced Parliament, among other areas. He agreed with Dr Gonzi that the substitute members could be brought in so that two committees could work at the same time.

The MLP said two sides have also started meetings for a solution of instances where people won cases before the Tribunal for the Investigation of Injustices but the government did not implement the recommendations made in their favour.

Dr Farrugia said a first meeting was held yesterday to discuss the issues on the injustices tribunal and progress had already been made in identifying the cases which needed to be resolved. That too showed the commitment of both sides to move forward.

Dr Mangion rose to put on record that since the committee would need unanimous agreement on every point discussed, there would be no question of casting votes by the Speaker.

Bringing the discussion to a close, Dr Gonzi confirmed that there would be no casting vote. He augured that the present obvious commitment of each side of the House would continue unabated in the committee's meetings.