Prime Minister Robert Abela has again blocked The Shift’s request for a copy of the ministerial declarations of assets for 2023 despite falsely stating in parliament on 20 January that these were already available to the public.

The Shift formally requested a copy from Cabinet Secretary Ryan Spagnol when the prime minister failed to table the 2023 declarations. Spagnol never replied to the request despite several reminders, including to the prime minister.

According to the Manual of Cabinet Procedures, Spagnol needs the prime minister’s consent to make the declarations available. The Shift is informed that Abela withheld this consent.

What the cabinet manual states

The Shift also filed an official Freedom of Information (FOI) request for a copy of the same declarations, which, according to Abela, were presented to the Cabinet Secretary last March.

Abela blocked the request, telling The Shift that “the declarations are made for their scrutiny by the prime minister. Also, the Manual of Cabinet Procedures regulates the procedure and publication of these declarations. This is also reflected in a ruling by the Speaker.”

The Shift filed a complaint for reconsideration according to the FOI Act, insisting that both the manual and the Speaker’s ruling (as quoted by the prime minister) state that these declarations should be published, as has always been the case.

The Speaker’s ruling stating that the declarations should be public after a request to the Cabinet Secretary. Abela refused the request.

Asset declarations are a means of ensuring good governance through transparency and public scrutiny. The same prime minister who is now objecting to the publication of his 2023 declaration had no issue with publishing similar declarations in 2021 and 2022.

PM protecting himself from further scrutiny of his wife’s holdings

Since Robert Abela became prime minister in January 2020, he has consistently failed to list his wife’s assets in his declarations in a possible breach of the code of ethics.

He never replied when asked why he failed to declare his wife’s assets, and has insisted that this is not required. The Standards Commissioner disagrees.

The declaration’s template clearly states that the prime minister must declare his wife’s assets, including bank deposits.

Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi said that ministers, including the prime minister, must list the assets of their spouses, including property, bank accounts and other investments in shares and bonds, if there is no separation of assets.

Public registry research by The Shift confirmed that Robert and Lydia Abela do not have a separation of assets contract in place.

Abela’s alarm bells

A look at Abela’s previously submitted declarations reveals several discrepancies between what he declared and his property purchases and lifestyle.

According to his 2022 declaration (for 2021), Abela claimed he was living solely on a state salary of approximately €68,000 per year before taxes. But that same 2022 asset declaration also claims the prime minister increased his bank savings and investments by approximately €32,000 in the past 12 months.

Abela’s salary has not changed. He declared €376,000 in bank deposits in 2021. One year later, his total bank deposits amounted to €388,567. He also declared an increase in his financial investment portfolio of some €20,000 through the purchase of new government stock.

This means that in 2022, on a gross salary of €68,000, Abela increased his savings by €32,567 — or more than half his net income.

The prime minister did not declare any additional income beyond his political remuneration in both years.

His wife, Lydia, stopped working when her husband became prime minister in 2020 and has not declared any official income since then.

The couple also declared that they own three properties: a sea-view penthouse residence and garage in Marsacala, a two-tumuli ODZ villa on the outskirts of Żejtun that they are completely rebuilding, and a farmhouse in Xewkija, Gozo, that they are converting into a hotel.

The Prime Minister’s declarations of wealth in 2021 and 2022 do not reflect the purchase of the Xewkija plot of land.

The prime minister’s 2022 declaration raised questions about whether Abela is using undeclared assets — possibly held by his wife — to pay for property acquisitions.

Despite purchasing a new plot of land in Gozo in 2022 adjacent to his hotel project, Abela’s declared savings increased and did not reflect his expenditure on this property.

In 2023, Abela and his wife purchased another plot of land in Xewkija. The 2023 asset declaration remains hidden.

The additional land purchased in 2022 is reflected in the expansion of a Planning Authority permit last year.

Independent election candidate Arnold Cassola asked the Standards Commissioner to investigate these discrepancies last year, following articles by The Shift that questioned the veracity of Abela’s declarations.

The Standards Commissioner said he cannot investigate because Abela stopped him, claiming such an investigation is time-barred. According to the law, a complaint must be made no later than 30 days from when suspicion of misconduct becomes known.