Labour MEP candidates Daniel Attard and Marija Sara Vella Gafà have asked the Standards Commissioner to investigate Opposition leader Bernard Grech for “rampant breach of ethics”.

In a letter to the commissioner, they accuse Grech of breaching party financing regulations.

They say Grech "lied" and misguided the media in breach of ethics when, in September, during an interview on One News, he "clearly and equivocally" said that the Nationalist Party had published its accounts.

They said that these accounts, had still not been published.

Their request follow the filing of a judicial protest in January when they called on the Electoral Commission to take whatever action was required to make the PN conform to the law and to fine it accordingly. 

In a legal letter replying to the protest earlier in March, the Commission said the Nationalist Party had been asked to submit its accounts and donations list five times since January 2022.

The PN's donation reports and accounts for 2021 and 2022, have remained unpublished. 

Asked in January whether the PN had filed its accounts and donation reports, opposition leader Bernard Grech did not give a straight answer. 

"On the party's accounts, we will continue doing our duty as everyone should do," he said.  

The requirement for political parties to publish accounts and donation reports was introduced in 2016 through the Financing of Political Parties Act. 

Political parties must publish the names of individuals and companies that donate more than €7,000. Political parties cannot receive more than €20,000 in donations from individuals or companies. 

Political parties must present audited accounts to the regulator (the Electoral Commission) within four months after the end of their financial year. Failing to do so could lead to a fine of €10,000.  

They must also present a donation report within 60 days after their reporting period. Failing to do so carries an administrative maximum fine of €20,000. 

Attard and Vella Gafà accused Grech of:

• Breaching party financing legislation;
• Ignoring the warning of the Electoral Commission;
• Breaching the code of ethics bound to his position; and
• Undermining the democrating process.

They said that such arrogant behaviour, with the Opposition leader describing the matter as nonesense, should be condemned.

They called on the Commissioner to:

• Investigate “the abusive behaviour” of the Opposition leader in breach of the law and the code of ethics; and
• Take all steps deemed suitable in the circumstances.