The Opposition has tabled a motion in Parliament to repeal what it described as “secretive amendments introduced without public consultation” to public procurement procedures.  

The PN said in a statement that it strongly opposes recent amendments “that grant excessive powers to the Prime Minister in public procurement procedures and insists on the need for good governance, transparency, and impartiality in these processes.” 

“It is evident that these recent legal changes were introduced solely to give the Prime Minister greater control over appeals concerning the awarding of public contracts – often granted to individuals closely linked to the Labour Party,” the PN said.

It added that the Prime Minister is being granted further powers to appoint members to the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB), the body responsible for reviewing decisions related to public procurement.

 “A clear example of this was seen in the appointment of Richard Matrenza, a person with close ties to the Labour Party, as one of the supposedly independent members who will be tasked with deciding on appeals involving public contracts – often worth millions of euros,” the PN said. 

In light of this, the Opposition said that it has tabled a Parliamentary Motion to repeal the amendments introduced by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, which hand the Prime Minister disproportionate influence over the composition of this board.

The Motion was submitted by PN MPs Claudette Buttigieg, Rebekah Borg, and Adrian Delia.

 Public procurement is the process through which the Government uses public funds to purchase goods, services, or works from the private sector, such as construction contracts, maintenance works, or supplies for public entities. 

“These amendments, published via Legal Notice 47 of 2025, were implemented in a secretive manner and without any public consultation, as reported by the media,” the PN said.

“They also give the Prime Minister unlimited discretion to appoint additional permanent members to the Public Contracts Review Board, with no limitations on replacements. This move poses a high risk of political manipulation, preferential treatment, and corruption.”

 The PN recalled the recent case concerning the waste incinerator, where the Court clearly expressed its concerns regarding conflicts of interest on the Review Board and even ordered the process to start anew. “Despite this, the Labour Government chose to ignore the ruling and proceeded with awarding the tender to the same consortium, clearly demonstrating the dangers of such amendments,” the PN said. 

The PN said that the Court itself has emphasised that public procurement is one of the most vulnerable sectors to waste, abuse, fraud, and corruption. “We are now witnessing the Government tightening its personal grip on the entire appeal process for public contracts, while undermining the Board’s ability to act independently.”

The PN maintained that rather than introducing changes that compromise the independence of the Public Contracts Review Board, reforms should be made to strengthen its autonomy and impartiality, thereby ensuring the integrity of the public tendering process.

 The PN said that it remains committed to defending the interests of the Maltese people by safeguarding transparency and fairness in the use of public funds.