Fi żmien meta l-ekonomija tkun sejra tajjeb ħafna, kif hu l-każ f’Malta bħalissa, li wieħed jinkwieta dwar il-ħarsien tal-ġid publiku tista’ tidher xi ħaġa żejda. Personalment ma naraha żejda xejn. Anzi x’aktarx li ssir aktar meħtieġa għax fir-rankatura mogħtija mis-“surplus” ta’ fondi, tista’ ssir nefqa esaġerata li tissarraf f’piż mhux sostenibbli meta l-affarijiet jinbidlu u l-ekonomija tnaqqas.
Tkun xi tkun iċ-ċirkostanza, jibqa’ l-obbligu biex il-ġid publiku jitħaddem bl-akbar prudenza. Hu għalhekk li r-rapporti tal-awdituri f’dal-qasam huma tal-akbar ħtieġa, anke jekk iservu biex iqanqlu kontroversji politiċi.
Fil-verità hu f’dal-qasam li dawn il-kontroversji jiksbu l-aqwa siwi. X’hemm aħjar milli n-nies politiċi jillitikaw bejniethom fuq min qed ikun l-aktar għaqli u prudenti fil-mod kif jonfoq mill-ġid publiku?
Hu imperattiv li l-uffiċċju tal-awditur ġenerali jingħata aktar saħħa u fondi biex jaħdem. Bil-kondizzjoni li hu wkoll ikun soġġett għal evalwazzjoni regolari u indipendenti ta’ dak li qed iwettaq.
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SOĊJALIŻMU EWROPEW
F’dawn il-ftit ġimgħat tal-bidu ta’ mandat ġdid għall-Parlament Ewropew stajt nifhem għaliex is-soċjaliżmu baqa’ jbatti fl-Ewropa. Kien hemm ir-reazzjoni tal-parlamentari soċjalisti għar-riżultati tal-elezzjonijiet Ewropej: tant ferħu li r-riżultati ma kinux koroh daqs kemm stennejna, għalkemm xorta komplew imajnaw, li donnhom rebħu. Fakkruni fl-imġiba tas-segretarju ġenerali attwali tal-PN fl-istess żmien.
Imbagħad, smajt stqarrijiet dwar x’għandha tkun il-politika soċjalista għall-Ewropa. Fuq quddiem nett fihom issib: priorità soċjali-ekoloġika; difiża tal-klima; ġustizzja fil-qasam tat-taxxi; ugwaljanza tas-sessi; Ewropa aktar magħquda…
Huma għanijiet xierqa u importanti li għandhom ikunu parti mill-programmi soċjalisti ta’ ħidma. Imma huma wkoll parti integrali ta’ x’qed jipproponu partiti oħra, bħall-Ħodor, il-Liberali u anke l-Popolari. F’dak li jipproponu s-soċjalisti donnu m’hemm xejn li hu tagħhom biss u li jagħmilhom soċjalisti.
Dan hu żball madornali. Il-partiti soċjalisti kienu u messu għadhom qabel kollox, il-partiti tal-ħaddiema, għalkemm mhux biss. U jintgħarfu minn hekk.
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TAL-POLLAKKI
Ma rnexxilix nifhem il-ferħ tal-iskwadri lokali ta’ kontra l-gvern meta l-Qorti Ewropea tal-Ġustizzja tat id-deċiżjoni tagħha dwar il-ġudikatura fil-Polonja. Donnhom qiesu li d-deċiżjoni u l-ispirtu li nebbaħha kellhom xi rabta ma’ ġrajjiet f’Malta li għandhom x’jaqsmu mas-saltna tad-dritt.
Il-QEĠ iddeċidiet primarjament li l-liġi Pollakka li naqqset l-età li fiha l-imħallfin (preżenti u futuri) ikollhom jirtiraw iddgħajjef l-indipendenza tal-ġudikatura u mhijiex kompatibbli mal-prinċipji legali tal-UE.
Kulħadd jammetti li s-sistema legali f’Malta għandha fhiex tiġi mtejba. Imma l-arranġamenti li għandna llum bl-ebda mod ma nbidlu minn kif kienu qabel Malta daħlet fl-UE, meta ġew miflija qabel issieħbet u allura nstabu totalment aċċettabbli.
English Version – The public good
At times when the economy is running very well, which is Malta’s case as of now, it would seem that to worry about safeguarding the public good is less than useful. Personally I think the contrary is the case. Indeed a better oversight could become more necessary given that in the impetus given by financial surpluses, commitments to excessive expenditures could be made which when the situation changes and the economy slows down, might become unsustainable burdens.
Whatever the circumstances, the obligation remains to commit public assets with the greatest prudence. For this reason, auditors’ reports in this area are worth their weight in gold, even if they give rise to political controversies.
Actually, it is in this sector that such controversies can deliver most benefits. For what could better than that politicians quarrel among themselves as to who can be wisest and most prudent when funds are being offloaded from the public purse?
It is imperative that the office of the auditor general is given greater backing and finances to allow it to function more effectively. On condition though that it too remains subject to a regular, independent review of its operations.
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European socialism
During the first weeks of the European Parliament’s new mandate one could understand why socialism in Europe has continued trending down. In first place, there was the reaction of socialist MEPs to the European election results – they were so glad that results were not as bad as we had feared, that it was as if socialism had conquered. They reminded me of the current PN secretary general’s behaviour at about the same time.
Then statements were being made about the future content of European socialist policies. On top, one could find: socio-ecological priorities; climate defence; tax justice; equality between the sexes; a Europe that’s more united…
These are worthy and important aims which should form part of socialist work programmes. But they happen to be too an integral part of what other parties are proposing, such as the Greens, the Liberals, and yes too, the Populars. In what socialists propose it seems that there is nothing which is theirs alone and which defines them as socialist.
This is a tremendous mistake. Above all, socialist parties used to be and should still be, the workers’ parties, though not only that. But it’s what gives them recognition.
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Polish
I failed to understand the glee of the local anti-government gangs at the European Court of Justice rulings about the judiciary in Poland. It as if the ruling and the ethos behind it somehow had a bearing on events related to the rule of law in Malta.
What the ECJ ruled primarily was that the Polish law which reduced the retirement age for all judges (present and future) undermined the independence of the judiciary and was not compatible with EU legal principles.
That legal arrangements in Malta need to be improved is universally admitted. However, the legal system we now have has not been changed in any way from the one that was vetted by the EU prior to Maltese accession and was then found to be totally acceptable.
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