The limiting of TV debates to just the Nationalist and Labour parties has thrown the country back 20 years, Alternattiva chairman Arnold Cassola said today..

In a press conference in Valletta, Prof. Cassola said that while AD participated in three debates in the last electoral campaign, this time around, it had been excluded completely.

Prof Cassola Apart said that apart from the Ombudsman and the Auditor General, people had lost faith in the local institutions, he said, noting that public appointments, such as that of that of the Police Commissioner should be approved by Parliament. This would allow the police force to immediately investigate the current administration.

Backbenchers should not be appointed to chair any board, while a commissioner for standards in public life should be elected as soon as possible. AD would also be calling for full-time MPs.