Updated October 11 with Ministry reaction

Malta’s Consulate General in Istanbul splurged close to €80,000 on an event to mark Malta’s 60th Independence anniversary last month, figures tabled in parliament on Wednesday revealed. 

Out of the 26 embassies and consulates that hosted an event, the Consulate General of Malta in Istanbul, Turkey ranked first with the highest bill of €78,540 for a National Day reception. 

The Istanbul-based consulate general hosted a reception for 600 guests at the five-star hotel CVK Park Bosphorus, a few blocks away from Taksim Square. 

Guests included Economy Minister Silvio Schembri, the Deputy Governor General of Istanbul Özlem Bozkurt Gevrek, Charge d'Affaires Kathleen Vella Mamo and Oktay Özel, Head of Cultural Heritage for the Istanbul Municipality. 

Other guests included officials from Malta Enterprise, the Malta Chamber of Commerce, and Transport Malta, the Consulate General said in a Facebook post about the event. 

A Malta Chamber spokesperson, however, told Times of Malta that none of its representatives attended the event.

The reception included an exhibition co-curated by the Istanbul Basilica Cistern and the Consulate, which showcased photographs of ancient underground water reservoirs in both Malta and Istanbul. 

Hosting all that did not come cheap: it cost more than the combined total expense of events organised by Maltese embassies and consulates in Beijing, Berlin, London, New York, Geneva, Paris, Sydney, Brussels, Dublin, Vienna and Lisbon.

In total, Maltese embassies, consulates and high commissions across the world spent just over €300,000 to mark Malta's 60th year since independence, meaning the Istanbul event soaked up €1 out of every €4 in allocated spending. 

Istanbul is the country’s largest city and generates roughly a third of national GDP. 

Spending figures were provided by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg, who tabled a list of the embassies that organised activities on the 60th anniversary of when Malta declared independence from the British and their expenses. 

Borg said the activities were financed by allowances passed on by the ministry as well as sponsorships received by each Embassy.

He provided the figures in a reply to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Beppe Fenech Adami.

Foreign Ministry: Event targeted Istanbul's business sector

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said in reply to questions that most of the Istanbul event's cost was covered by private sector sponsorships, with other funding covered by other government entities. It provided a list of those sponsors.

All embassies, consulates and high commissions also received a €3,500 grant from the ministry to mark the occasion with an event, a spokesperson added.

Malta's embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara hosted a more modest €16,000 event that featured a spread of traditional Maltese food like galletti, olives and bigilla. 

The Foreign Ministry said that the Istanbul event was aimed at the city’s shipping industry and broader business community.

Istanbul is the country's largest city and generates roughly 30 per cent of Turkish GDP. Turkey's national economy ranks among the world's top 20. 

The ministry said the Ankara event was predominantly aimed at Turkish dignitaries, officials from various ministries, members of the diplomatic corps, business chambers, businesses, NGOs and other associations. 

Istanbul's higher prices meant costs were also pushed higher, the ministry said.  

What did other cities spend?

Malta's embassy in Egypt's capital Cairo spent €28,000 on two events - a standalone event showcasing Malta’s identity pre and post-independence on  September 17 and an evening reception the day after. 

The events were sponsored by Investia Capital Group, Methode Electronics, stone producers company Marmonil and the Malta Tourism Authority. 

Malta's embassy in Vienna spent €23,804 to host 300 people for a reception and concert at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. 

Guests had the opportunity to taste traditional Maltese cuisine prepared by chefs from the Institute of Tourism Studies. 

The embassy thanked their sponsors, Vienna Airport, Visit Malta, KM Malta Airlines, Marsovin and Quick Turtle. 

Malta's Consulate General in Toronto, Canada spent €4,051 to illuminate Niagara Falls in Maltese colours to commemorate Independence Day. It also hosted a cocktail-style event.

The High Commission in London spent €2,494 to host a special concert and networking event at Piccadilly Circus.