'AD's voice on party funding must be heard'

Alternattiva Demokratika should also have a voice in discussions on party financing in the Parliamentary Select Committee the government and the opposition have agreed to set up in order to discuss the strengthening of democracy, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said.

Dr Muscat believed it was very important that the government accepted the principle that discussions were not completely confined to the parliamentary framework but that there would be space for society, trade unions and employers' associations, giving as an example the participation of AD in talks on party financing.

The Parliamentary Select Committee had an ambitious agenda, which, with goodwill on everyone's part, could still be realised, he maintained.

The setting up of the committee was an important achievement for the MLP, which would have the same number of members as the government. The committee was set up without any pre-conditions. "No one gave up anything to start these discussions," Dr Muscat said.

The road ahead was not easy and there would be moments when the two sides would not agree. Nevertheless, the country would be able to register new developments in the strengthening of democracy.

Dr Muscat also described as positive the fact that the Prime Minister said the themes for discussion would not be linked to each other but treated independently.

Moreover, there would be discussions aimed at finding solutions for cases of injustice that the government had left pending in recent years, Dr Muscat noted.