Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will be pushing a motion in Parliament tomorrow setting up a Commission for the Transparency in Political Party Financing that would lead to the publication of parties’ accounts.
In a letter sent yesterday to Opposition leader Alfred Sant, Gonzi wrote it was high time to assure transparency in political party financing.
But Labour sources say Sant is expected to shoot down the idea and insisting on reverting to the Galdes Commission report drawn up in 1995.
Contacted yesterday, Sant said: “I’ll react tomorrow.”
According to the prime minister’s terms of reference, the commission will be responsible for debating and reporting to Parliament about the regulation of financial donations to parties that would include the disclosure of donors. Parties would have to publish audited financial statements, including their balance sheet.
The commission, to be made of two members nominated by government, two nominated by the opposition, and a chairperson, is also expected to establish procedures for the publication of audited reports, ways of identifying and avoiding cases of fraud in declarations and the penalties related to the flouting of regulations.
The commission’s meeting will be held in public and will also be open to submissions from the public.