Borg Commits to Financial Transparency
Alex Borg, the newly elected leader of Malta's Nationalist Party (PN), has pledged to publish the party's financial accounts within his first 100 days in office. This commitment, reiterated at a political event in Pjazza Sant'Anna, Sliema, on November 2, 2025, aims to usher in a new era of transparency for the party. Borg stated he is actively overseeing a technical team working on the accounts, indicating that significant progress has already been made.
Borg's promise was a key part of his leadership campaign, during which he also proposed the establishment of an audit committee. This committee, composed of experts, would be tasked with analyzing the party's financial state, ensuring accounts are published in accordance with the law, and developing a recovery plan for long-term financial sustainability.
Addressing Past Transparency Deficits
The pledge by Alex Borg directly addresses a long-standing issue of financial transparency within the Nationalist Party. The PN has faced considerable criticism for its failure to publish its statement of accounts since 2020, and donation reports for 2022, 2023, and 2024. This non-compliance has drawn sharp rebukes from the rule of law group Repubblika and the governing Labour Party, who have highlighted that these omissions are in breach of the Financing of Political Parties Act of 2016.
Previous PN leader Bernard Grech had attributed these delays to auditors, an explanation that was not accepted by critics. The requirement for political parties to disclose financial information is considered a crucial tool for public oversight and combating corruption.
A New Chapter for the Nationalist Party
Alex Borg, who at 30 years old became the youngest leader of a major political party in Malta after his narrow victory on September 6, 2025, has positioned himself as a proponent of greater accountability. He assumed office as Leader of the Nationalist Party on September 7, 2025, and as Leader of the Opposition on September 10, 2025. In a move to demonstrate personal commitment to transparency, Borg recently published his own leadership campaign expenditure report, funded primarily through family resources and social fundraising events. He publicly challenged Prime Minister Robert Abela to follow suit.
The publication of the PN's financial accounts within the stipulated 100-day period, which concludes around December 16, 2025, is seen as a critical step towards rebuilding public trust and demonstrating the party's commitment to good governance in Maltese politics.
2 Comments
Mariposa
While Borg's commitment to publish accounts is a positive step towards transparency, the party's long history of non-compliance raises questions about long-term institutional change. We need sustained action, not just a one-off promise.
Michelangelo
It's encouraging to see the new leader taking accountability seriously by publishing his own expenses and pledging party transparency. However, the true test will be how consistently these standards are maintained beyond the initial 100 days.