Malta's green party assured its voters it will continue to fight for parliamentary representation in a statutory general meeting on Saturday, where the party’s executive committee was also confirmed.
In the last general election ADPD received roughly 1.6% of the national vote - double the number it received in 2013. However, the vote share was not enough to elect a candidate to parliament, prompting the party to launch a constitutional challenge.
"The party will remain the voice of those who the traditional parties avoid or ignore: those that may be considered as political orphans," ADPD Deputy Chairperson Sandra Gauci insisted.
“Their vote for ADPD is essentially one of trust in a political vision that looks to safeguard future generations by ensuring that the actions we take today allow down to be able to take their own,” Gauci pointed out.
ADPD Leader Carmel Cacopardo added that in the last election an additional 12 parliamentary seats intended to bring about gender balance resulted in further discrimination against ADPD’s female candidates.
"In fact, two ADPD candidates – Sandra Gauci and Melissa Bagley – obtained more votes than a PL candidate who has been granted a seat thanks to this mechanism," he underlined.
"However, ADPD candidates were excluded because they had not contested with either of the traditional parties who were in cahoots to ensure that this mechanism only worked in their favour," he said.
Cacopardo also pointed out the urgent need for the introduction of sensible party financing legislation to strengthen the country’s democratic infrastructure.
He highlighted that the lack of effective control over the party’s financing thrusts "a dark shadow" over our country’s political system.
"The fact that legislation that had been put in place is regulated by the Electoral Commission – which is mainly composed by PLPN representatives – makes one doubt as to whether it is being enforced as it should be," he said.
He added, the political parties’ commercial entities’ exclusion from such legislation gives rise to abuse where funds that are meant for such companies end up in the parties’ coffers through false invoicing and the lack of submission of audited accounts over many years.
The million of euros owed by the PLPN is a threat to democracy because it compromises these parties making them subject to the control of commercial interests, he said.
The publication over the past months of the large amounts of arrears that the PN and the PL owe in water and electricity bills as well as VAT is also worrisome, he underlined.
“We need sensible party financing legislation to assist our country’s democratic process,” insisted Cacopardo.
While individuals are usually treated with a strong hand it seems that these parties can continue their operations as if nothing happened, he pointed out.
Towards the end of his speech Carmel Cacopardo reiterared that this will be his last term in office as party Chairperson. It will be a year of transition towards a new leadership, he said.
The general meeting also approved its executive committee as follows: Carmel Cacopardo – Chairperson; Sandra Gauci – Deputy Chairperson; Mario Mallia – Deputy Chairperson; Ralph Cassar – Secretary General; Melissa Bagley – Deputy Secretary General; Mark Zerafa – Deputy Secretary General; Mina Tolu – International Secretary; Brian Decelis – Public Relations Officer; Luke Caruana – Treasurer; and Duncan Bonnici, Donal Kelly, Marcus Lauri, Matthew Mizzi – Members.