Election candidates say they did not overspend

All 167 candidates who contested the last general election have submitted a sworn declaration stating they did not exceed the €1,400 expense limit per district in their electoral campaigns. An exercise conducted by Times of Malta shows many of the candidates, particularly those elected, declared expenses of just a few euros short of the legal limit. On the other hand, eight unelected candidates declared they spent nothing on their personal campaigns. In general, the declarations are bare of any details and receipts, with a few exceptions. For example, former Foreign Minister Francis Zammit Dimech attached a restaurant menu with his declaration showing what his constituents ate during a get together. The new chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika, Arnold Cassola, attached petrol chits indicating the cost of driving from one activity to another during the electoral campaign. According to the law, those found to have exceeded the €1,400 expense limit could be prosecuted and may even lose their seat in the House of Representatives if found guilty. The Electoral Commission does not investigate any of the submissions made but only checks whether the declarations respect the law. The...