Opposition urges government to reinstate spouses in asset declarations

The Opposition Nationalist Party has formally called on the government to reinstate stricter transparency rules, insisting that ministers and MPs must once again be required to declare assets held by their spouses and partners.

Speaking during a brief meeting of Parliament’s Standards Committee, PN MP Mark Anthony Sammut said the Opposition categorically opposes any attempt to dilute existing transparency obligations.

The PN’s position comes in response to government proposals that would remove the requirement for ministers to submit more detailed asset declarations and instead align all MPs under a single, simplified system.

While the Opposition said it is open to improving the Codes of Ethics for both ministers and MPs, Sammut stressed that reforms must strengthen, not weaken, public scrutiny. He argued that full asset declarations, including those of spouses, should remain mandatory and continue to be published by Parliament.

Sammut also objected to plans to eliminate separate reporting obligations for members of the executive.

“Members of the executive carry greater responsibility than MPs,” he said, insisting that distinct and more detailed ministerial declarations must be retained.

Justice Minister Jonathan Attard, who tabled the amendments on behalf of Prime Minister Robert Abela, did not respond to the Opposition’s position during the meeting, which lasted less than five minutes.

The proposed changes would abolish the longstanding practice requiring ministers to file a more comprehensive declaration of assets and income in addition to the standard form submitted by all MPs.

Under the new system, all parliamentarians, whether in government or opposition, would submit identical declarations, effectively reducing disclosure requirements for those in executive office.

The amendments were introduced without prior consultation with the Speaker or the Opposition.

They are also being interpreted as an attempt by the Prime Minister to avoid disclosing his wife’s assets. Over the past two years, Robert Abela has resisted publishing detailed declarations that include his spouse’s financial interests, breaking with a long-established practice of full disclosure. The proposed reform would now formalise this approach across government.

It remains unclear why the Prime Minister is insisting on excluding such information, including any assets, bank accounts or investments held by his wife. Officially, Lydia Abela does not have a declared income.

Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi has already raised concerns, warning that the changes represent a significant rollback in transparency and remove key disclosures, including financial interests held by spouses.

For decades, such declarations were publicly available, forming a cornerstone of accountability in Maltese public life.