Updated at 3.40pm: Adds PD statement
Two-and-a-half months after being contacted by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat about the matter, the Nationalist Party has yet to nominate a member to sit on the Permanent Commission Against Corruption.
A PN spokesman said last week that the party was still awaiting “a positive reply” from the selected nominee.
On November 2, the Times of Malta carried an item titled ‘Corruption Commission in limbo for six months’.
The commission had not conducted any investigation for the previous six months pending the appointment of two new members. This was the result of lawyer Yana Micallef Stafrace being made a magistrate and the death of former magistrate Joe Cassar.
The PM wrote to Opposition leader Adrian Delia on October 16
On the day the report appeared, the government issued a statement saying, among other things, that in April, it had informed the Opposition it was nominating a member to replace Dr Micallef Stafrace. It also said the Opposition had failed to nominate a member to succeed Dr Cassar.
The government said Dr Muscat wrote to Opposition leader Adrian Delia on October 16 and was still awaiting a reply.
A few days later, the Times of Malta asked the PN whether it could confirm or deny what the government had said. The party was also asked a number of questions: Why did the Opposition not immediately nominate a new member following Dr Cassar’s death at the beginning of May?
Why had Dr Delia not yet replied to the government’s letter of October 16?
When did the PN plan to make its nomination, and who would it be nominating?
Does the PN not consider it imperative that the Permanent Commission Against Corruption be constituted at all times, especially when so many allegations of corruption are being made?
When no replies were forthcoming, the PN was sent a reminder on November 24.
A few days later, the Times of Malta was contacted by a senior official at the new PN media office who said one had to appreciate that the party had just gone through a leadership race, adding it would reply within a week.
Again, no reply was forthcoming, and another reminder was sent on December 19. Later that day, the party replied: “The PN is still awaiting a positive reply from the person it chose to nominate to the Commission Against Corruption. A statement will be issued immediately after that person confirms the nomination.”
PD offers its services
In a statement this afternoon, Partit Demokratiku said it was again offering its service to Malta, as the third party in Parliament, by having a nominee sitting on this committee thereby allowing it to function.
It said that in situations where the Nationalist Party refused to be a proactive or strong Opposition, it was forced to continue to be the sole champion of good governance in Malta, voting in Parliament for what was right, rather than what was convenient, in the best interests of Malta and public good.