Speaker Anglu Farrugia this evening called on politicians not to be afraid of taking the next step towards an autonomous parliament.
Speaking during the Sette Giugno ceremony in Hastings, held in remembrance of the 1919 bread riots, Dr Farrugia said that nine years after EU membership, Parliament had still not reached the desired level of autonomy which other national Parliaments within the EU enjoyed.
“When one speaks about autonomy in this context, this means that the Parliament, the highest institution in the country, would have the administrative capacity to manage independently the requirements of the same institution so that it can fulfil its constitutional functions.
“In other words, Parliament should have the power to prepare its financial estimates and manage its own resources unhindered, independently and in a distinct manner from any type of influence from the Executive,” he said.
During the ceremony, wreaths were laid at the foot of the Sette Giugno monument by, among others, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil and relatives of the 1919 victims. The ceremony was attended by serving and former MPs.
Dr Farrugia said that Parliament could never be free and unshackled unless it was no longer considered administratively as a government department.
“Parliamentary authority and autonomy, though different, are intrinsically linked to each other,” he said.
The Speaker spoke about the Constitution - whether it should evolve or not - and the possibility or not of a Second Republic.
“I believe that this is also a process that needs the participation – indeed the direction – of the Parliament without prejudice to the broad participation of the Maltese and Gozitan public.
“For, how can we speak of a Constitution without involving the same Parliament which has to legislate? Isn’t that the way in which our country has progressed throughout the years, by sounding the voice of our people and ours who represent it?”
He said Parliament should be able to decide, and be responsible for, what was expected from a parliamentary democracy.
Dr Farrugia said that in the coming weeks and months, after the necessary consultations, he would be launching other initiatives to strengthen the communication and interaction between Parliament and the people.
The time had come, he said, for Malta’s parliamentary system to have an ethics committee or some other structure which established standards to be followed by MPs.
“The people consider this a right, but a right that is complemented, and should be complemented, with the remedies that one expects from the country’s highest institution.”
He also said that Parliament should ensure that the remedies given by tribunals and courts to people who would have suffered some form of injustice due to any wrongdoing by the Executive, were respected.