Partit Demokratiku is expected to challenge the status quo and lay claim to parliamentary funds that have historically been shared between the two major parties.

The €200,000 research fund for “political groupings in Parliament” has seen the two major parties receive €100,000 each, every year, for more than a decade. The money is allocated in the Budget and falls under Parliament’s vote.

When the fund was set up before Malta joined the EU, it was intended to help political parties in Parliament to carry out EU-related research. After Malta became an EU member, the fund was changed to help parties develop relations with the EU and the Mediterranean region.

Malta’s Parliament has only had two political parties ever since, except now when former Labour MP Marlene Farrugia broke ranks with the governing party and set up PD. She is the leader of the newly-formed party and represents it in Parliament.

When contacted, Dr Farrugia said she had raised the matter informally with Speaker Anġlu Farrugia.

“He told me the funds voted in the Budget would be available next year and the matter had to be dealt with then. However, I intend following it up because PD is a new reality in Parliament.”

The political party was formally set up last month when it held its first general conference that elected Dr Farrugia as its leader. However, the party had registered with the Electoral Commission some months earlier.

It is unclear how the matter will be resolved but, according to the Clerk of the House, it was the Speaker’s opinion that decisions on the allocation of such funds should be made by the House Business Committee.

The parliamentary committee is chaired by the Speaker and is made up of three PL and two PN MPs.

“Mr Speaker would also like to point out that all current MPs were elected to Parliament on the ticket of either one of the major parties,” the Clerk of the House added.

He noted that the administrative procedures linked to the allocation of the research funds was unchanged for a number of years.

The funds have traditionally been passed on to the Whips of the major parties without any requirement to present receipts justifying how they were spent.

The fund has remained unchanged at €200,000 for years on end and represents the only source of public funding for political parties.

kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com