On the background of the law on the financing of political parties which has just passed through committee stage in parliament, Alternattiva Demokratika Secretary General Ralph Cassar said:

"Alternattiva Demokratika took part in the public debate on this law presented by government and Franco Debono.  We presented our reactions both to the White paper and to the Draft bill, when this was published the first time".

"For the first time, thanks to Carmel Cacopardo Deputy Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika,  we participated in the Permanent Parliamentary Committee which examines the draft law and, with the permission of the same committee, we participated in the detailed discussion of the proposed law."

'Alternattiva Demokratika is satisfied that for the first time we shall have a law on the financing of political parties, something AD has been insisting upon since its inception in 1989".

"Whilst AD appreciates that it has been given space to air its views, we are disappointed that a basic point of our submissions has not been accepted by government. Alternattiva Demokratika cannot agree with the Electoral Commission being the regulator in the implementation of such law.  The Electoral Commission is  made up of representatives of the two parties in parliament  and therefore can never be an impartial regulator. We made this point right from the moment when the White Paper was presented and we were satisfied to see that consequently even the Nationalist Party agreed with this and adopted our position. 

"It is being said that the Electoral Commission has always acted correctly during general elections.  But what is  not said is that the Electoral Commission acts accordingly because it is obliged to do so by laws that do not allow it any discretion.  Whenever the Electoral Commission did use its discretion in the past it always did so according to the political majority in its composition, ergo reflecting the government of the day.  This does not augur well for the good functioning of the law on party financing since it does not make any sense that 8 out of 9 members are appointed by the party in government or in opposition whilst the Chairman is appointed by the party in Government.

"Alternattiva Demokratika believes that the choice of a politically appointed person as a regulator weakens the law and its eventual correct and fair application.  Alternattiva Demokratika will therefore examine the law closely when approved and, after having taken legal advice, will decide whether to proceed in the Maltese and European Courts on the matter concerning the regulator".