Plans announced by Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi to build a traffic junction near Addolorata Cemetery was another ploy by the government to increase the value of the Labour Party’s property in Marsa, Opposition MP Tony Bezzina said on Tuesday.

He accused Mr Mizzi of deliberately omitting to say that this proposal would mean the relocation of two factories situated near the PL’s One radio.

The relocation was not intended to increase the number of lanes so as to ease traffic but to build a 250-space car park and garden in front of the PL’s property.

By how much would Labour’s property in Marsa increase in value as a result of this project? Should the PL benefit from taxpayers’ money? Was this project in the best interests of the people and the country? Would Malta remain credible with the EU if the latter got wind of this deception?’

Earlier, Mr Bezzina said the Opposition would present amendments to the Bill to address discrimination against the PN through the amassed public and private properties the PL had stolen throughout the years.

Mario Galea (PN) said the OSCE observation mission for Malta’s general election in 2013 had recommended that donations to political parties should be regulated.

Donations had to come from the many and not the few because parties were the voice of the people. Elections should be decided on which party or parties had the best policies and not which was strong enough financially to sustain an election campaign.

He also referred to the UN international covenant on civil and political rights which advocated citizens could only influence the political future of the country in election time. Uncontrolled and unregulated donations to political parties thwarted this principle.

Mr Galea referred to what he termed “meetings with contractors” on the fourth floor offices of the PL headquarters before the election, adding that State funding for political parties was needed to reduce the dependance on private donations.