Pre-election cheques not a corrupt practice, say police

The police do not consider the government’s ploy of sending out cheques on the eve of an election to be a corrupt practice under Maltese laws, a spokesperson for the corps told Times of Malta.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said he expected an investigation into the issuing of the cheques during a visit to the Naxxar counting hall, hours after the PN’s massive election defeat, on Sunday.

“Nowhere in the world do you get a prime minister sending cheques 10 days before an election,” he decried.

Electoral laws forbid candidates from influencing voters by offering them gifts.

A leaflet accompanying the cheques sent out to 380,000 people in Malta and Gozo was signed by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Finance Minister Clyde Caruana.

Questioned if the PN would take the matter further, a spokesperson pointed out that a report to the electoral commission had already been filed by independent candidate Arnold Cassola.

“May we also point out that police should investigate on their own steam and they do not need to rely on filed reports to enforce our laws,” the spokesperson said.

The police, however, yesterday shut down the prospect of an investigation into Abela and Caruana.

Quoting the...