Political donations must be fully disclosed – Alex Borg

Nationalist Party leadership contender Alex Borg has called for “full disclosure” on private donations to political parties, arguing that transparency is key to restoring trust in Maltese politics.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Borg gave his views on party financing following comments by Adrian Delia, his sole rival in the leadership race, who proposed that political parties be publicly funded to reduce their dependence on “big money”.

Borg said that public funding, if properly regulated, could contribute to cleaner politics if strict limits are in place.

“Public funding for political parties, if well-regulated and transparent, can reduce dependence on private interests and foster cleaner politics,” he said. “But it must go hand in hand with strict limits and full disclosure on private donations. Setting those limits should be based on clear principles of fairness and accountability and should involve independent oversight.”

However, when pressed on whether he believes political parties should disclose donations from private individuals below €7,000, the current threshold under party financing laws, Borg could not give a direct answer.

“The issue is not about thresholds,” he replied. “These were discussed at length at the time that the Party Financing Act was enacted. The issue is all about restoring trust through full transparency.”

Under current legislation, donations under €7,000 do not require the disclosure of the donor’s name.

Borg added that while the existing law sets out systems, procedures and thresholds in detail, it has failed to tackle public perceptions about the influence of large donors.

“The current law addressed systems, procedures and thresholds in quite a lot of detail. It did not, however, dispel the predominant perception that political parties are heavily influenced by big donors.”

We need an honest national conversation about how we fund democracy- Alex Borg

He said that political financing should be comprehensively reviewed and that reforms should apply to all political parties.

“This cannot be addressed in isolation,” Borg insisted. “It needs to be part of a broader reform.”

He also called for a nationwide debate on democratic funding structures that would go beyond party financing alone.

“We need an honest national conversation about how we fund democracy – not just political parties but also how we resource parliament, ensure a level playing field in public communication and strengthen the independence of institutions.”

To him, the key issue is not just whether political parties should be funded by the state but how to create a more transparent and equal political system.

“The question is not just if parties should receive public funds but, ‘how do we make our democracy healthier, more transparent and more equal for all participants’. That is the conversation I am committed to leading.”

He criticised what he described as years of directly avoiding the issue.

“The time for vague debate is over, this issue has been on the national agenda for too long. Now it’s time to act.”

Borg said that, if elected party leader, he would make party financing a central theme at a National Convention for Malta’s Future.

Last week, Delia proposed that political parties be treated similarly to NGOs and funded through the public purse, as part of what he termed a “Green and Blue Agenda”. He also called for limits on private donations to remove suspicions of undue influence from property developers and other sectors.