The Electoral Commission should be overhauled before being put in charge of monitoring party financing, former Nationalist minister Michael Falzon said yesterday.

Addressing a debate on the proposed financing law organised by Labour Party think tank Fondazzjoni Ideat, Dr Falzon questioned whether the government-appointed commission could be trusted with monitoring political financial corruption.

A White Paper drafted on the controversial practice has proposed endowing the commission with the new powers and is expected to be finalised before the summer parliamentary recess.

Dr Falzon, however, feels that if the commission was to be trusted with overseeing the country’s party funding practices, it should be appointed by Parliament. Its members are currently appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister after consulting with the Opposition.

Last February the Nationalist Party complained that the government had not taken its concerns on board when it chose to appoint former secretary to the president Joseph Church.

However, Law Reform Commissioner Franco Debono, also present for the debate, insisted that the commission had always enjoyed the support of the majority of the country. “We trust the commission with administering our elections and national votes.

“I can’t see any structure having more trust than that,” he said, adding that he felt an existing entity should be appointed as a political financial watchdog and not a new structure.

Despite this, Dr Falzon insisted the commission was not immune to controversy. Referring to the allegations of gerrymandering during the 1971 General Election, Dr Falzon said it made no sense to have a government body watch over party practices.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said the government had already discussed a reform of several facets of the commission which would likely be implemented in the coming years. The newly-appointed minister said the party financing Bill was only the first stage in an ongoing fight against political corruption.

“I believe in the government’s commitment to tackle this. In fact, the Labour Party had already begun discussions on this back in 2012,” he said.

Asked about the view of the European Council’s anti- corruption watchdog (GRECO) on the Bill, Dr Debono insisted the White Paper had been praised by the organisation.

“If it was up to GRECO this would have already been brought into force,” he said.