PM defensive, MEPA chairman evasive on corruption perceptions
Raphael Vassallo Eurobarometer statistics this week revealed that a staggering 95% perceive corruption as “a major problem” in Malta, while 73% consider abuse to be widespread in the granting of local building permits. But Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi – politically responsible for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority since March 2008 – is adamant that his government is doing all it can to eradicate corruption, despite popular perceptions to the contrary.
“The Prime Minister is committed to do all that is necessary to investigate every single allegation of corruption and to strengthen the democratic institutions that have been entrusted with the responsibility, to investigate, prosecute or judge cases of alleged corruption,” a spokesperson for his Office at Castille told MaltaToday this week. “Notwithstanding all this, the Opposition continues to throw allegations with the hope that some stick to the perception of the general public.”
Hard on the heels of last month’s Transparency International index – in which Malta slipped three places in the corruption perceptions stakes – the latest Eurobarometer survey also reveals that Maltese citizens trust European institutions considerably more than those of their own country, registering markedly low levels of mistrust in the EU (47%) compared to the 66% average among member states.
In stark contrast, popular trust in national institutions appears to have plummeted by 11% since November 2007, while trust in MEPA in particular has dropped by 12% over the same period: which includes the last 18 months, when Gonzi promised a reform of the Planning Authority, and appointed Austin Walker as its chairman.
However, when asked to comment on this apparent nose-dive in perceptions of corruption at MEPA during his own tenure of office, Walker was unwilling to elaborate on the implications.
“We would rather wait until we have properly read the survey report,” MEPA PRO Peter Gingell told MaltaToday. “Sometimes these issues depend on the precise wording of the questions asked, among other factors.”
On his part, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi reacted to these figures by pointing towards his administration’s record in combating individual cases of abuse of power, stressing the difference between ‘real’ and ‘perceived’ corruption.
“Government treats all accusations related to corruption with utmost importance,” the OPM spokesman stressed. “Recent history proves this commitment, because cases have been investigated, prosecuted and judged in accordance with Maltese law.”
Among the corruption cases recently brought to justice was the VAT fraud case, as well as that against former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo, who was convicted of taking an €11,500 bribe to reduce the sentence of a drug trafficker on appeal.
By way of contrast, other recent allegations of corruption – including leaked emails which appear to indicate collusion between politicians and the Danish firm BWSC, in the granting of a €200 million contract to extend the Delimara Power Station – have not to date been investigated.
Gonzi did however signal a willingness to strengthen key institutions in the fight against corruption: “In terms of addressing real, as opposed to perceived corruption, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi himself proposed the setting up of a Parliamentary Select Committee which would be committed to strengthening the Permanent Commission Against Corruption and the Ombudsman’s Office, among other issues,” the OPM spokesman said.
“Government is also committed to introduce new legislative procedures to combat corruption. In the 2010 Budget, Government proposed the amalgamation of the Inland Revenue, VAT and Customs and Excise Departments to reinforce the fight against tax evasion so as to augment fiscal morality among a myriad of measures to counter abuse.”
It is not certain whether the Whistleblowers’ Act, promised before the last election but not mentioned in Budgets 2009 or 2010, is among the proposed new initiatives. Nor were any specific timeframes indicated for the above-mentioned reforms.
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