Bidla ta’ Vera: A Parliament that works
Malta’s Parliament is not fit for purpose. MPs juggle multiple jobs, committees lack the power to investigate properly, and the Standards Commissioner and Ombudsman can be ignored with impunity. The result is a Parliament that rubber-stamps decisions instead of scrutinising them. Both the PL and the PN benefit from this weakness. Neither has any interest in fixing it.
Partit Momentum announces three proposals to make Parliament a serious institution of democratic accountability.
1. Full-time MPs with adequate salaries and stricter conflict-of-interest rules
MPs should work full-time for the people and the country, not juggle multiple jobs and interests. Malta’s parliamentary salaries are far below what is needed to attract serious talent, and the gap is filled by side deals, consultancies and conflicts of interest that corrode public trust. Momentum will make Parliament a full-time role with professional-level pay, matched by much stricter rules on outside work and conflicts of interest. Good governance costs money, and mediocre governance costs far more.
2. Ad hoc parliamentary committees to investigate scandals, modelled on the European Parliament
When scandals break, Parliament needs proper committees to investigate thoroughly. The disability certificates affair, the hospitals deal, the passport scheme. Malta has lacked the parliamentary machinery to get to the truth. Momentum will work for the creation of special investigation committees modelled on those established by the European Parliament, with real powers to summon witnesses and demand documents.
3. Make the Standards Commissioner’s and Ombudsman’s decisions executive, not advisory
The Standards Commissioner and Ombudsman currently issue recommendations that the government simply ignores. Their findings are treated as suggestions rather than rulings. This makes a mockery of the entire system of accountability. Momentum will strive to give these institutions real power, with adequate resources and funding to enforce their decisions and hold authorities to account.
Prof. Arnold Cassola, Momentum Leader and candidate on the 9th and 10th district, stated: “We pay MPs less than mid-level civil servants and then act surprised when the job attracts people with other sources of income. Meanwhile the Standards Commissioner writes reports that end up ignored. This is a system designed to look democratic without actually being accountable and both PL and PN built it this way because both parties benefit from it. Momentum in Parliament will fix the structure, not just the symptoms”. The way forward involves a transition to a full-time legislature where Members are fairly compensated to ensure total dedication to their roles. By providing salaries that reflect the complexity and responsibility of parliamentary work, we eliminate the need for outside interests and hence strengthen our anti-corruption framework.
There is hope, you can help!
Join Momentum and build a better Malta. Volunteer, donate, or subscribe today!
