Reformist government backbencher Franco Debono said yesterday that stability could only be achieved through accountability, transparency, dignity to parliament, powerful courts and regulation of political parties.
This will not be achieved by adding another parliamentary seat to the party having a one-seat majority when the electoral process in Malta was the single transferable vote system which ensured correct translation of votes in seats, he said.
Speaking during the debate on the bill amending the EU Act, he added that Malta needed a smaller parliament with full-time MPs who could focus on their work. Dr Debono said his divergences with the PN were ideological in nature. There were some 80 MPs, who had not voted with the UK government in the House of Commons over ideological issues.
The driver never blamed the tyre, especially when he had left potholed roads, he said. He said the Bill would make parliament more alive as it would be able to debate a decision of the European Council. Parliament’s function was not only to debate; it was also a control mechanism.
New measures of fiscal discipline, the golden rule, would also require constitutional amendments and one needed to determine the level of entrenchment of such changes in the Constitution.
The Constitution, which was in dire need of reform, had to be complimented with practical policies. Constitutional reforms, Dr Debono said, were not a sign of weakness, taking as example the fact that Italy amended its constitution several times.
The party financing legislation was of extreme importance in this regard.
The appointment and removal of the President through an ordinary resolution was inadequate.
Such constitutional amendments should have taken place a long time ago. One should also speak of an effective parliament because there was no need for a new parliament to broadcast debates. State broadcasting was instrumental in educating the people on their constitution.
Legislation on parliamentary autonomy was of extreme importance. The standing orders were last updated 25 years ago.
Dr Debono said he hoped he was a catalyst to raise awareness with respect to the much-needed constitutional reforms. “There were people who had been appointed advisers for more years than those which Gaddafi spent in office and who had never stood for elections.”
He said he had abstained from voting in December 2009, to send a message that MPs and backbenchers should be heard.
Turning to justice reforms, Dr Debono said that the division of the portfolios of justice and home affairs, the right of access to a lawyer before interrogation and the drafting of the Administrative Code were important. Parole legislation took four years to come into force.
Concluding, Dr Debono said that one should head towards building a new state with strong institutions.
One should not only focus on party loyalty as otherwise one would kill the sacred principles of accountability, transparency, strong courts and regulated political parties.
One should strive for unity while political parties could not usurp the function of democratic institutions.