Attorney General Silvio Camilleri has again refused to comment over whether his office intends to establish whether European Parliament candidates observed the law on campaign spending limits.
Referring to the judicial protest filed by two EP candidates demanding an investigation into candidates' campaign expenditure, Dr Camilleri said that he did not think it prudent to discuss the issue in the press.
Last week, former Chief Justice Giuseppe Mifsud Bonnici said the issue "hinges on the Attorney General". Dr Camillieri, however, reiterated his position, saying his "office will take such action as may fall within its competence as circumstances and the law dictate".
The Sunday Times has been receiving copies of the declarations sent by EP candidates to the Electoral Commission since it made the request to all candidates a week before the June 6 election.
Two PN candidates - Edward Demicoli and Frank Portelli admitted to exceeding the legal expenditure limit of €18,635 on their campaigns. However, 12 candidates from the two main political parties, including the five elected MEPs, have refused to provide an explanation of campaign expenditure.
The Electoral Commission has already said it has no intention to verify expenditure, but only to gather it and make it available to the public.
Last week, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition sent a joint letter to the Speaker of the House asking him to ensure the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Change revises regulations on electoral expenditure.
Commenting on the issue in his timesofmalta.com blog last Tuesday, Fr Joe Borg said the move by the leaders of the two main political parties was not the end of the story. Insisting that citizens are owed an explanation, Fr Borg said:
"Now the ball is in the court of the relevant institutions that have to verify all the declarations made and confirm their truthfulness or otherwise... I expect that in the interest of the candidates, in the interest of the law and in the interest of truth these institutions will rise to the occasion and fulfil their duty, as they never fulfilled it before. Please do not let us all down."