Income and asset declarations made by the prime minister and his cabinet are covered by cabinet secrecy rules, the government is now arguing.
In its latest attempt to fend off a freedom of information request for the declarations, the prime minister’s office told Times of Malta there is “good reason” for withholding the documents.
The government said the declarations cannot be published under the Freedom of Information Act as they fall under an exemption protecting the disclosure of documents submitted to or discussed in cabinet.
It provided that reply when Times of Malta sought an explanation as to why it had refused a Freedom of Information request to provide a copy of the asset declarations.
In previous years, these ‘secret’ documents have been tabled in parliament by Prime Minister Robert Abela for public scrutiny.
Instead of subjecting the declarations to public scrutiny, Abela is now apparently “scrutinising” the declarations himself – including his own.
“I scrutinised the asset declarations for all the ministers and parliamentary secretaries, and everything was most regular. We even had an auditor to assist us,” the prime minister said in March.
The Standards Commissioner has also been given a copy to scrutinise, Abela said.
Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi concluded this week that he did not have the legal authority to push back against that decision but blasted the government's failure to publish the declarations as a "big step backwards for transparency".
Abela has pointed to plans for “reforming” the assets declaration process to require all MPs to file a more detailed declaration.
“There will be new obligations for all members of parliament, including those of the opposition. Among the obligations, and this is very interesting, MPs will have to declare their income,” he said.
The income and asset declarations made by cabinet members are separate from the more basic declarations of interest made by all MPs on a yearly basis.
The government has so far failed to take up suggestions to improve the collection and verification of asset declarations by elected officials.
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A 2023 study by the OECD, an international body, said asset declarations are a useful tool to enhance transparency, and accountability and fight against corruption.
The study suggested broadening the amount of information in these asset declarations to respond to corruption, and widening them to cover persons of trust appointed by cabinet members.
Standards Commissioner Azzopardi, who last January urged Abela to publish the declarations “as soon as possible", has encouraged the government to expand parliament’s asset declaration system in line with OECD recommendations.