Robert Abela’s office has failed to explain why it has not published the annual asset declaration made by the prime minister and all ministers.
These declarations, which detail ministers’ bank accounts, property holdings and shares, are usually presented to parliament once a year.
The last available declarations, covering 2022, were presented to parliament by the prime minister in April 2023.
Financial disclosures of assets or interests play an important role in national anti-corruption systems, as they can help identify unjustified wealth.
An EU funded study of Malta’s financial disclosure system recommended expanding the range of officials subject to reporting obligations and the type of information that elected and appointed officials are required to disclose.
The study said asset declarations are a useful tool to enhance transparency, and accountability and fight against corruption.
“In particular, managing and analysing asset declarations’ data enables investigators and law enforcement agencies to detect and prove irregularities,” the study said.
Instead of taking these recommendations on board, the prime minister has so far declined to make the financial declarations covering 2023 easily accessible to the public and media by presenting them in parliament.
Abela claimed in parliament the declarations covering the financial year 2023 have been handed to the cabinet secretary as required and were made available to the public. A spokesperson for Abela did not respond to a request by Times of Malta for a copy of these “public” declarations.
On Wednesday, parliament Speaker Anġlu Farrugia ruled there is no obligation for the asset declarations to be tabled in parliament, even if this was done in the past.
Newly launched party Momentum have reported the prime minister and his cabinet to the Standards Commissioner over the failure to disclose the declarations to parliament.
In a letter to the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, Momentum chair Arnold Cassola requested the commissioner investigate the prime minister as well as every minister and parliamentary secretary that is a part of the cabinet for breaching parliamentary ethics.
Cassola said they have failed to table their asset declaration for 2023 as set out in the ministerial code of ethics.
“This shortcoming sheds an arrogant contempt towards transparency and towards citizens,” Cassola said.
Ministers and parliamentary secretaries file two sets of financial declarations.
One form, which tends to be more detailed, is in their capacity as members of the government. That declaration is handed to the cabinet secretary.
The other declaration, covering their income, is in their capacity as MPs. That form is given to the speaker.