Momentum asks standards czar to investigate PAC government MPs
On Wednesday they blocked a PAC request for information on €7.2 million in Film Commission payments
Momentum on Thursday asked the standards czar to look into the decision by government MPs sitting on the public accounts committee to block a request for Film Commissioner Johann Grech to provide a full account of €7.2 million in payments.
On Wednesday, Naomi Cachia, Alex Muscat, Amanda Spiteri Grech and Ramona Attard blocked the PAC’s own request for a breakdown of payments.
PAC members had noted in February that although MFC had listed an estimated spend of €1.8 million in its 2024 budget estimates, its actual expenditure had ballooned to over €8.9 million, almost €7.2 million more than planned.
MFC had later provided a redacted breakdown of the payments, without listing who the payments were made to or when they were issued, nor did it provide the invoices requested.
During Wednesday’s PAC sitting, the four government MPs on the committee argued that the information provided was sufficient.
But on Thursday, Momentum requested an investigation by the Standards Commissioner into the PL MPs' behaviour for "covering up" for Grech with their vote.
"In doing so, they have ensured that the Maltese people are kept in the dark about €7.2 million in public funds, spent by the Malta Film Commission between 2019 and 2022 and which remain unaccounted for with neither receipts nor any form of documentation.
"This matter of mismanagement of funds had already been flagged by the NAO," the party said.