The government may have been forced to withdraw the controversial amendment allowing ministers and MPs to own and participate in offshores based in countries that cooperate with our tax authorities; however questions regarding its intention still stand. When the party’s official newspaper denounces the initiative as provocative, it is clear that the infamous moral advantage of the left has gone out the window, despite the excuses they may come up with afterwards.
It is an undisputed fact that the specific amendment was intended to be enacted via the omnibus bill without a debate, transparency or explanations. If the provision was so “innocent” as they are to tell us now, they would have no reason to hide it in the omnibus bill’s thousands of pages. More so when they have been claiming to be a bastion of transparency and lead the fight against corruption and vested interests.
It is also weird that they waited for the law to be published in the government gazette, which may provide amnesty to off-shore owners, before deciding to take it back and introduce new legislation to abolish it. Unfortunately for the government, its credibility has taken a dramatic hit and its infamous moral advantage is at risk.
The across-the-board ban that the government now wants to introduce to cover for its sins does not absolve it from its responsibilities. At the same time it may also turn out to be a smokescreen, since it does not comply with the European acquis. The political system’s credibility cannot be restored with sensationalism, but with meaningful institutional reforms and by supporting independent authorities to truly monitor the assets of ministers and MPs. And that cannot be done with sensationalism and media spins…
TO VIMA
