The Parliamentary Assistant at the Office of the Prime Minister, Franco Debono, said the Bill featured three particular amendments that would strengthen the anti-corruption commission: the widening of the definition of corruption to encompass more crimes, the introduction of a special prosecutor and the appointment of its chairman by a two-thirds majority vote by the House.
The government had introduced many systems to ensure transparency and accountability. Although the Maltese democratic system did not have separation of powers, various checks and balances existed between the executive and the legislative, like question time in Parliament. There were also judicial checks which permitted the Constitutional Court to declare a law unconstitutional and annul it.
Therefore, he argued, there was a link between the institutions in a democracy and the people – a link that should not be broken by lack of transparency and accountability.
Dr Debono said he believed the President of the Republic should also be appointed by two thirds of the House because the simple majority did not make any sense.
Moreover, the House should also go through the same reform. He suggested that the Standing Orders be upgraded and that Parliament be more accessible through adequate and modern communication technology.
Referring to the BWSC issue before the Public Accounts Committee, he said he was always in favour of hearing witnesses and suggested that on such important issues video streams ought to be available.
There was the need for legislation regulating party financing to identify those who were abusing the system. While there were many bona fide benefactors, there was the need to penalise abusers. He said the PN had always been on the forefront on this issue.
Dr Debono said that legislation was strengthening Malta’s democracy, which could not be taken for granted. It needed sacrifices from all in order to be sustained. The House had to be vigilant and see that democracy prevailed at all times, especially through the work of the institutions.